Texas Teen Accused of Attempting to Give Infant to Stranger
An 18-year-old mother faces charges after allegedly offering her one-month-old son to a woman she met at a bus stop.
A Texas mother is facing charges after allegedly attempting to give her one-month-old son to a stranger she encountered at a bus stop. Karla Ibarra, 18, was arrested and charged with abandoning and endangering a child with intent to return.
According to reports, Ibarra approached Jennifer Benavides at a bus stop on September 13, initially asking to use her phone. Benavides recounted that Ibarra began to fawn over the infant. Ibarra then allegedly offered the child to Benavides, stating, "Well, do you want him? I’m going to give him away. I’m going to give him to somebody."
Benavides initially did not believe Ibarra was serious. However, when Ibarra handed over the baby, along with his birth certificate, Medicaid card, and Social Security card, Benavides realized the gravity of the situation. She took Ibarra and the infant to a friend's residence nearby. Shortly after arriving, Ibarra allegedly left the baby in the care of Benavides and the friend and departed in an Uber.
Benavides and her friend contacted the police, who arrived and took custody of the infant. Ibarra returned later that evening and was arrested. She was booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $7,000 bond and released on September 15 after posting bail.
Ibarra has been assigned a court-appointed attorney and is scheduled for a pre-indictment hearing on January 20, 2027. The charge against her is a state jail felony in Texas, which carries a potential sentence of six months to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
Child Protective Services confirmed that the infant has been placed in the care of relatives. Benavides expressed relief that she was the one Ibarra approached, noting that she found the teenager's actions upsetting given the available resources for parents in need.
Texas law includes a Safe Haven Law, which permits parents to anonymously surrender unharmed infants 60 days old or younger without facing legal consequences. These surrenders can be made at designated locations like fire stations, EMS stations, and hospitals, either by physically handing the child to an employee or by placing them in a "safe baby box."