A 19-year-old Harford County woman is facing a child neglect charge after Aberdeen police say she left a 6-month-old infant alone at home so she could meet friends at a McDonald's in Bel Air. Responding officers said they found the baby in unsafe and unsanitary conditions and took the child into protective custody. Child Protective Services arranged an emergency placement, and hospital staff stepped in with immediate baby supplies. Police identified the woman as 19-year-old Kira Faust and said she was later released after being charged.
What Police Say
According to WBFF/FOX45, Aberdeen Police arrested Faust on May 18 after getting calls about a baby left alone in a home in the 600 block of W. Bel Air Avenue. Officers who went inside the residence reported that the infant was living in conditions they described as unsafe and unsanitary, so they took temporary custody of the child. The outlet reports that UM Upper Chesapeake Medical Center provided baby supplies while Child Protective Services secured a placement.
How Child Services Respond
When local authorities remove a child from a home, Harford County's child-welfare office works with the state to set up emergency placements and connect families with services, including foster care and case management, according to the Maryland Department of Human Services. The county office handles out-of-home placements and follow-up while investigations move forward. Families, neighbors, and caregivers looking for details on those services can find local resources through that site.
Legal Next Steps
Faust was charged with child neglect and released, according to police statements cited by WBFF/FOX45. Cases like this are typically reviewed by county prosecutors, who decide whether to move ahead with formal charges and set an arraignment in local court. If the case goes forward, criminal proceedings and the child-welfare process can run at the same time while investigators and judges decide what happens next.
The Aberdeen Police Department reported that officers took temporary custody of the infant. Anyone with information about the case can contact APD at 410-272-2121. The department's media-release template also lists its nonemergency and press contact information.
