Texas woman faces manslaughter in infant's death thanks to DNA

After 23 years, police finally cracked a cold case about a dead baby abandoned in a Texas ditch. The mother has been charged with manslaughter, potentially ending this decades-long mystery that has puzzled detectives.

According to CNN, on November 18, 2001, Johnson County Sheriff's deputies found a dead newborn girl they nicknamed "Angel Baby Doe." Someone discovered the infant wrapped in a jacket, umbilical cord intact, discarded by a road near Alvarado and Burleson, just south of Fort Worth.

The Texas Attorney General's office says the baby was born alive, likely not in a hospital. A resident collecting cans stumbled upon the infant's body.

Investigators hit dead ends for years until DNA finally identified the mother in September 2023. They have charged Shelby Stotts with second-degree manslaughter for Angel Baby Doe's death.

The AG's office claims Stotts allowed the baby to bleed out because she didn't seek medical help or tie off the umbilical cord after birth.

For over 20 years, investigators pursued every lead they could to determine who abandoned the baby. The case went nowhere until June 2021, when Johnson County Sheriff's officials sent evidence to Othram, a DNA forensics company.

Othram performed DNA analysis and genealogical research, providing investigators with new leads. This breakthrough led investigators to potential relatives of the infant and ultimately to Stotts.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said they're finally close to solving the case of Angel Baby Doe after all these years.

Stotts will be tried under the laws that were in place at the time of the incident. In 1999, Texas enacted the Baby Moses Laws, the first of their kind in the U.S., allowing mothers to safely give up their babies at designated locations without facing legal action. These laws are intended to provide a safe option for mothers in crisis and help prevent similar tragedies.

According to court records, Stotts' arraignment is set for July 23. This development marks a significant step in resolving a case that has haunted the community for over 20 years. years.

Stotts will be tried according to the law in effect when the incident occurred. Court documents state she's due in court on July 23 for arraignment.

Johnson County residents might finally find closure now that this 20-year ordeal could be concluding. Charging Stotts might finally resolve the case of Angel Baby Doe and hold someone accountable for what happened.