GREENVILLE, S.C. — A quick-thinking cleaning crew is credited for saving the life of a newborn boy left abandoned and choking in the cold water of a South Carolina sports arena toilet.
"They did save the life of that child," Greenville Police Chief Terri Wilfong said late Tuesday.
A 25-year-old married mother of a 4-year-old faces charges of giving birth in the toilet to the 6-pound boy and leaving it to die.
By calling for help, the crew got information to help get the baby warm and keep it breathing, the police chief said. Authorities declined to immediately identify the workers.
The infant was hospitalized and in good condition, Wilfong told reporters at police headquarters. The state Department of Social Services is in charge of the baby.
"We are very grateful," said prosecutor Walt Wilkins, who said he intended to "vigorously prosecute" the woman involved.
Jessica Blackham, who has no criminal record, was arrested after she came to the Greenville police station accompanied by family members, Wilfong said.
"The family is very cooperative with us," Wilfong said. "Their concern is the safety of the child."
Blackham is charged with two counts of felony child abuse and one count of unlawful neglect toward a child. If convicted on all charges, she could face up to 50 years in prison.
Authorities said she was being held without bond after being arraigned at the local jail and would be appointed an attorney. Her first court appearance was not immediately set.