PATERSON, N.J. — A 17-year-old mother who was attending night school hurled her baby into the Passaic River after she couldn't find a baby sitter, police said.
The body of the 16-month-old boy was found Wednesday about 2 1/2 miles downstream from where his mother said she threw him in, said Boris Moczula, Passaic County's first assistant prosecutor.
The mother, whose name has not been released because she is a juvenile, was arraigned Tuesday on charges of juvenile delinquency. Authorities have not decided whether to charge her as an adult.
Police said that after throwing the baby into the water, she visited her boyfriend for several hours before returning home. It was unclear whether she told anyone what she had done with the child.
The young mother drove to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center Sunday night to seek treatment and while there revealed what had happened to her child, said William Purdy, another county prosecutor.
Authorities said the baby's father was no longer dating the mother, but was still involved in his son's life and cared for the child several times a week while the baby's mother went to night school.
The girl's attorney, Anthony Fusco, said there is no case against her.
"All they have is a statement that probably isn't admissible, and I'm not so sure that she gave a statement that's even true," Fusco said.