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‘I didn’t know I was pregnant’ Mother pleads guilty to bringing newborn to hospital, saying she found him at McDonald’s

Posted at 11:52 AM, May 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-25 06:30:43-04

Nicole Jones

NORFOLK, Va. – A local mother accused of child neglect pleaded guilty in court Tuesday.

The case wrapped up on Tuesday when 23-year-old Nicole Jones pleaded guilty to child neglect.

Police report Jones brought a newborn baby boy to DePaul Bon Secour Medical Center on New Year’s night, saying she found the infant at a McDonald’s on East Little Creek Road.

The baby was in critical condition; he had a low respiratory rate and had lost a lot of blood because the umbilical cord had been cut not clamped.

Court documents state Jones later admitted to giving birth herself. In court on Tuesday, she told a judge she did not know she was pregnant, so when she gave birth she ‘freaked out’ and drove the baby to the hospital.

In that process, she left her 1-year-old son unattended in the home for about an hour, for which she was also charged.

Jones was originally charged with two felony child neglect charges and one child cruelty charge. The cruelty charge was nolle prossed. One felony child neglect was reduced to misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, to which she also pleaded guilty.

In court, News 3 learned the infant boy survived and he and his brother are doing fine, living with family friends. The children have the same father, who is involved in their lives as well.

Jones was sentenced to five years for the child neglect, all but seven months were suspended. She was also sentenced to 12 months for the misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, all suspended.

According to the judge’s sentence, Jones can have no contact with her children and no unsupervised visits without approval from Child Protective Services. She also has to take a parenting class once she is done with her jail time.

Related:

Child neglect case against Norfolk woman certified to grand jury

Woman accused of child neglect told police she found a newborn at Norfolk McDonald’s