Shelby Stotts, inset, allegedly gave birth to a live baby girl in November 2021 and then abandoned her on the side of a road in Johnson County, Texas. The girl known as Angel Baby Doe bled to death (Mug shot: Johnson County Jail; Screenshot: WFAA/YouTube)
More than two decades after they found a dead abandoned newborn, authorities of Texas have identified and charged the mother with manslaughter thanks to enhancements in DNA technology.
Shelby Stotts sits in a Johnson County Jail on a $100,000 bond after her arrest Monday. The Texas Attorney General’s Office announced the arrest in a press release. Stotts, 48, is accused of abandoning the girl in November 2001. Prosecutors say evidence suggests the girl was alive following birth and bled to death because her umbilical cord was still attached. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office has referred to the baby as “Angel Baby Doe” since her discovery in a ditch off Briaroaks Road between the towns of Alvarado and Burleson, about 20 miles south of Fort Worth.
“After more than twenty years, we are closer to securing justice for Angel Baby Doe and ensuring that the person responsible for this tragedy is held accountable,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. “I am thankful for our investigators’ talent and tenacity, and I commend the law enforcement professionals with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for their dedication to uncovering the truth.”
Detectives have identified multiple persons of interest over the years, but it wasn’t until they requested the assistance of the AG’s office cold case and missing persons unit that they developed new leads. Citing arrest documents, Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA reported that investigators collected a smashed key fob, spit cup and a Coke bottle on scene and improved DNA technology identified Stotts as the mother in September.
Local Fox affiliate KDFW reports that Stotts worked as a paraprofessional at Cleburne High School. The Cleburne Independent School District released the following statement to the outlet:
“Cleburne ISD takes these allegations very seriously. Shelby Stotts is no longer employed by Cleburne ISD,” said the district in a statement to FOX 4. “The District intends to follow Board Policy and state law and investigate the matter thoroughly. Because this is a personnel matter, the District is unable to offer more details or comment further, pursuant to state law and board policy.”
Like many states, Texas has a Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to drop off unwanted children at places such as fire stations and hospitals for up to 60 days. Baby Angle Doe would be 22 years old if she were alive today.
Stotts’ next court date is scheduled for July 23.
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