ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The mother charged with neglect and reckless endangerment charges after her infant was abandoned on the Fourth of July appeared in court via video conferencing Tuesday.
Sandra McClary, 26, quietly cried as the Anne Arundel County District Court judge set her bail at $500,000.
Prosecutors argued that McClary is a flight risk and has a criminal record. They also plan to present evidence that McClary was intoxicated at the time of the incident. She also has four children, two of which are in the custody of child protective services.
McClary’s mother, Belinda Deberry, testified in court that her daughter loves her children and McClary is a victim of domestic abuse.
The 6-week-old girl was found the night of July 4 on the side of the road in Pasadena, Maryland. McClary contacted police on July 5 and said she thought her boyfriend was caring for the child.
Investigators believe McClary took the baby out of the car, still in her carrier, and left her on the side of the road.
But Deberry says that’s not true. She says McClary’s boyfriend is physically abusive and they were arguing in the car on the way to a party. “He hit her while she was driving, several times. That’s why she pulled over to begin with.”
According to Deberry, the boyfriend threatened McClary and McClary stopped the car. She says the boyfriend, not McClary, took the baby out of the car and McClary drove away. “She thought the baby was in his care.”
Deberry says the baby girl is named Angelique Morgan.
Detectives say that there still may be more arrests and/or more charges in this case.
Deberry says the incident has been upsetting because McClary is a victim of abuse. “She tries to be a good mother… Feeds and provides for them. Her kids really love her. Sometimes things are hard and there might be struggles. But overall, she’s done okay.”
In an unrelated case, McClary is also awaiting trial on charges including armed robbery and second-degree assault.
She is the mother of four children ages 6, 3, 1, and 6-week-old. The 3-year-old and the 6-week-old are in the custody of social services.
Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams says the allegations in this case are striking. “We take this investigation very seriously. We will cover all the facts and interview all the witnesses.”
