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Father Arrested After Baby Abandoned Behind KFC

Passing Driver Watches Baby Until Police Arrive

POSTED: 2:32 pm EDT October 8, 2008
UPDATED: 6:06 pm EDT October 14, 2008

Pittsburgh police arrested a man in connection with the abandonment of a baby in Homewood.

Police are charging 37-year-old William Clark, of Homewood, with endangering the welfare of a child.

He's the father of a baby who was found alone in an alley Oct. 8.

Police arrested the baby's mother, LaFawn Ebo, on that day for child endangerment.

The baby found behind a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Pittsburgh's Homewood area was safely taken away in an ambulance after an alert driver called for help.

Donna McCaskill said she spotted the infant girl at about 2 p.m. Wednesday on Felicia Way, a side street that runs parallel to Frankstown Avenue. (See Map)

Watch the latest report from WTAE Channel 4's Jon Greiner

"The baby was on the street, right on the street," said McCaskill, a mother and grandmother.

Mother Planned To Hand Over Child To Father, Police Say

As police started to investigate, detectives said they learned that the 2-week-old child's mother -- LaFawn Ebo, 24, of Homewood -- arranged to meet with the child's father, who she said agreed to take custody of the child.

LaFawn Ebo
Pittsburgh police arrest LaFawn Ebo.
Pittsburgh police said Ebo told detectives a cousin gave her a ride to the location, where Ebo set the child down, said she saw the child's father and returned to the car.

At that point, McCaskill spotted the child sitting alone in the car seat.

"I happened to come up and look, and I was like, 'Oh my God, is that a baby?' I called 911. Put the baby in my truck," McCaskill said.

Mother's Cousin Returns For Child

As McCaskill waited for police to arrive, Ebo's cousin returned to the scene.

"That's when this lady pulled up and said 'That's my cousin's baby,'" McCaskill said. "I was talking to dispatch and said, 'Look, some lady pulled up and said it was her cousin's baby, but I'm not giving this baby to no one but a police officer.'"

McCaskill kept the baby girl warm until police arrived and paramedics took the child to Children's Hospital as a precaution.

"I happened to come up and look like 'Oh my God, is that a baby?' and called 911."
- Deborah McCaskill,
Found baby alone in car seat
"She looked to be healthy. She was in good condition. You could tell she wasn't there long," said McCaskill.

McCaskill said the woman identified as Ebo's cousin told her that Ebo and the father had an argument.

Detectives Interview, Arrest Mother

Ebo later called Pittsburgh police. She met with detectives, and, after extensive interviews, police arrested Ebo and charged her with endangering the welfare of children.

"If she was going to leave the child with a parent or guardian, she should have physically handed over custody instead of leaving the child in the alleyway," Pittsburgh police Commander Thomas Strangrecki said.

McCaskill said it was lucky she left her house because she was hungry for a hot dog.

"I could have never found the baby if I wouldn't have gone for a hot dog," McCaskill said. "I would have never found the baby if I didn't go get me a hot dog."

She said it was the best $1 she ever spent.


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