On July 10, 2025, Raven Jones, a 34-year-old woman from Mobile, Alabama, was arrested after allegedly abandoning her newborn at a local hospital following childbirth. The infant tested positive for drugs and is exhibiting signs of withdrawal due to the mother’s drug use, according to Mobile County Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Susman. Jones faces charges of child abandonment and chemical endangerment of a child, as she left the hospital without completing necessary paperwork, effectively abandoning the newborn.
This marks the second such incident involving Jones. In 2022, she gave birth to another infant who tested positive for cocaine and opioids, leading to similar charges. Court records indicate that both children are now safe and under care, with Susman emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable children, stating, “All children are precious, and we do everything we can to protect them.”
Alabama’s Safe Haven Law allows parents to surrender a newborn up to 45 days old at designated locations, such as hospitals or fire stations, without facing prosecution, provided the child is unharmed. However, the law does not apply when a child is considered harmed, as in this case, where the newborns’ positive drug tests were deemed legal harm by prosecutors. Consequently, Jones was charged due to the endangerment caused by her drug use during pregnancy.
Jones is currently being held at Mobile Metro Jail without bond, pending further legal proceedings.