Baby Left at BiLo Center Released from Hospital

Posted March 4, 2011, 1:21 p.m.:

The newborn found abandoned at the BiLo center has been released from the hospital. The baby boy was suffering from hypothermia when he was discovered by a cleaning crew in January. DSS has already found a foster family for the child. DSS also says it is working the the baby's extended family and the family court system to create a permanent plan that is in the best interests of the child. 

Posted February 9, 2011:

Jessica Blackham, of Easley, accused of leaving her newborn baby in a Bi-Lo Center toilet, is out of jail.

She left the Greenville County Detention Center Wednesday afternoon.

She was accompanied by her father and mother. She wore a black hoodie and carried a white sweater.

She and her parents declined to tell her side of the story.

Our reporter spoke with her parents, who were not interested in speaking in her defense.

At Blackham's Easley home, other family refused to comment too.

Posted February 9, 2011, 3:51 p.m.:

A custodian who helped rescue a baby abandoned in a toilet at a South Carolina arena says he hopes to meet the infant some day.

Marco Calle said Wednesday he was worried the baby left after a Friday night circus performance wouldn't survive. Calle was part of a cleaning crew that found the baby with its feet in the water and head resting on the toilet rim at Greenville's Bi-Lo Center. Calle lifted the baby while his boss, Eder Serrano, called 911. He says there was evidence a woman gave birth in the stall.

Calle and Serrano say the child wasn’t moving when they pulled him from the toilet.

It appears the infant was about an hour and a half old. 

"We don't think it's physically possible that the mother would not know she had given birth to this child," Sgt. Jason Rampey with the Greenville PD said.

Both thanked God Wednesday during a press conference for helping them through the incident.

Roger Newton, the general manager of the Bi-Lo Center, told reporters he considers the workers heroes.

Greenville Police say Jessica Blackham, 24, is being charged with felony child abuse and child neglect.
Blackham attended the circus at the Bi-Lo Center Friday with family members. Police say at some point, she excused herself and went to the bathroom.

That’s when police say the child was born.

She returned to her family later, Greenville Police Chief Terri Wilfong says, and went home.

The child was found by the cleaning crew later that night.

According to detectives, Blackham told them she went to the bathroom not feeling well.

According to the 24 year old, she doesn't remember what happened next, and has had amnesia ever since. 

Her family says she sought medical attention at the hospital, because she was "bleeding", and "nobody knew what had happened."

She claimed in a bond hearing Wednesday morning that she didn’t even know she was pregnant.

Blackham's mother and father both told the judge, "Your Honor, she has shown no signs of being pregnant."

A judge set bond at $10,000 for the charge of child neglect, and $20,000 for the charge of felony child abuse. Combined, the charges carry a possible sentence of 30 years behind bars.

Blackham turned herself into police Tuesday afternoon and was arrested then.

Solicitor Walt Wilkins said his office "will prosecute (the) case vigorously." He also says he "consider(s) children our most precious resource” during a press conference after the arrest.

Blackham is married, but told the judge she has been separated for a year from her husband.  She also has another 4 year old child.

Wilfong says Blackham has no previous record of wrongdoing. She also said the family has been cooperative with police.

Detectives say the baby boy, still named Baby John Doe, is in serious but stable condition.