Woman Faces Abandonment Charges

The mother of an infant found abandoned in an Escondido pastor’s car the day after Christmas has been identified and faces criminal charges, Escondido police reported Monday.

Police officials identified the baby girl’s mother as Jodie M. Edwards, 32, of Escondido.

Escondido Police Lt. Earl Callander said police will seek child abandonment charges against Edwards, who was linked to the baby by citizens’ reports to police during a two-week investigation.

On Friday, Edwards was ordered by Municipal Court Judge William Draper to submit to a medical examination, according to Callander. He said results of a blood test and an examination to determine if Edwards recently gave birth persuaded police to seek charges against her. The results of the investigation were turned over to Dist. Atty. Edwin Miller on Monday.

The baby has been in a foster home since shortly after she was discovered by the Rev. Charles Keturakat, senior pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Escondido. Keturakat found the girl, believed to be about 4 days old at the time, sleeping in the back seat of his car after he arrived home Dec. 26 from visits to Palomar Hospital and his church office.

Callander said Edwards is married but that no charges would be sought against her husband, whom he did not identify.