A Clearwater, Florida, woman was arrested Wednesday after police say she gave birth to a child moments after smoking crack-cocaine.
Arrest records show 24-year-old Katrina gave birth to the child Monday on a back patio and hid the baby in the backyard, WFTS reported.
“I couldn’t imagine doing that with my baby,” said Carrie Meeks, who lives in the home where Kegelman left the baby.
Meeks says she noticed Kegelman walking near her home and let her inside to give her clean clothes and a place to shower.
Records show Kegelman is a transient, with no permanent address.
Meeks noticed Kegelman was in labor and offered to take her to a hospital, but by the time she went in to call for help and stepped back outside, Kegelman had already given birth.
Meeks noticed blood on her pants, the baby tucked inside.
She says Kegelman pleaded with her not to call 911, so she told her instead she was calling a friend and stepped away to call for an ambulance.
That’s when she says Kegelman hid the baby under a plant in her backyard.
According to the affidavit, she later admitted to police that she was afraid she’d be arrested for the baby’s death and had smoked crack just moments before giving birth.
“There’s not a drug in this world that could have made me stash my baby in the bushes and then lie to people and tell them it’s not there,” said Meeks.
Fire rescue arrived at the home where Kegelman at first wouldn’t say where the baby was, but eventually pointed towards the backyard.
Officials say the baby boy survived and is now at a hospital.
Kegelman was also taken to a hospital after giving birth and was arrested Wednesday after admitting to the incident.
She now faces a child neglect charge.
Records show she bonded out of jail early Thursday morning.
Police say it’s now up to staff at The Florida Dept. of Children and Families to determine a home for the baby.
