Background: The 200 block of North Lakeview Drive in Waco, Texas, where Merquez Bershawn James allegedly left a baby on the front porch of a home (Google Maps). Inset: Merquez Bershawn James (McLennan County Sheriff’s Office/KWTX)
A man from Texas is facing allegations of leaving a 1-month-old infant on the doorstep of the child’s mother’s residence, with authorities claiming to have security footage as evidence.
Merquez Bershawn James, aged 35, has been charged with the felony of abandoning or endangering a child without plans to return, according to Waco’s CBS affiliate, KWTX. Police were alerted to the incident at a home located in the 200 block of North Lakeview Drive around 2 p.m. on November 28. The child’s mother reported that James had informed her of his intention to drop off the baby.
Despite the mother notifying James of her absence, he proceeded to leave the baby unattended in a car seat on the porch.
According to KWTX, citing police documents, doorbell camera footage captured James as he left the child at the residence.
Police noted in the arrest report that they remained at the scene for over 30 minutes, during which James did not return. The temperature was recorded at 61 degrees, feeling like 51 degrees due to the wind chill.
The child’s mother stated she repeatedly called James, urging him to retrieve the baby, but he allegedly failed to return.
According to KWTX, James was held on a $10,000 bond. The McLennan County jail confirmed to Law&Crime that James was brought into the facility on Wednesday, but was no longer in custody as of Friday.
James faces a potential maximum of 20 years in prison for the felony charge.
