SE Houston home where wanted mom allegedly left baby possibly belongs to the father, HPD says

In Houston, Texas, the search continues for a 23-year-old woman, Loretta Norwood, a week after she allegedly abandoned her baby boy outside a home in southeast Houston, leaving him unattended for hours in the middle of the night.

According to records, Norwood faces charges of child abandonment, but the Houston Police Department has not provided further updates on the case as they actively pursue her whereabouts.

While details from court documents are publicly available, a spokesperson for the police department informed ABC13 that investigators are refraining from releasing additional information to aid in locating Norwood.

The incident occurred on March 22, when Norwood purportedly left her son in a car seat outside a residence on Winthrop Lane around midnight. The infant remained unattended for approximately six hours until a resident discovered him and notified the authorities.

Newly revealed court documents suggest that a man, possibly the baby’s father, received a text message from Norwood at around 12:50 a.m., informing him of their son’s presence outside. However, he claimed to have seen the message only the following morning.

Surveillance footage captured the baby being left outside at 12:10 a.m., but it wasn’t until 6 a.m. that a woman inside the home discovered the infant and contacted the police.

The baby, approximately nine months old, was discharged from the hospital last week and is currently under foster care.

In a separate incident earlier this month, the Katy Police Department provided Eyewitness News with Norwood’s mugshot. She was accused of engaging in an aggravated robbery after allegedly fleeing from a transaction to purchase an iPhone with two individuals. Norwood posted a $25,000 bond for this charge two weeks prior to the reported abandonment of her baby.

Norwood’s brother, who stated that although they are not close, he is aware that she has two other children.

In response to inquiries regarding Norwood’s other children, Child Protective Services confirmed that she has at least one additional child, and they are collaborating with law enforcement to ensure the child’s safety.