Woman Left Newborn Child In Kentucky IHOP Bathroom Toilet, Police Say

In Bowling Green, Kentucky, police say a 34-year-old woman attempted to conceal the birth of an infant that was found dead in an IHOP bathroom.

Bowling Green Daily News reports that police received a call around 8 p.m. on May 29, alerting them of a bleeding woman inside the bathroom, possibly due to a miscarriage. The caller added that the newborn was in the toilet.

Witnesses said Shaniqua Caldwell, 35, tried to flush the infant down the toilet, which is where police found the baby.

According to the arrest citation, witnesses believed Caldwell to be the mother and left the premises after giving birth. Law enforcement located Caldwell standing in a nearby parking lot, where she denied her pregnancy and told police she hadn’t had sex in six years. Additionally, Caldwell claimed to be a relative of NBA legend Michael Jordan and actor Denzel Washington.

Considering Caldwell’s erratic behavior and potential risk to herself, authorities took her into custody for an emergency mental health evaluation before she was booked in Warren County Regional Jail and charged with a Class A misdemeanor for concealing the birth of an infant.

“Based off my interactions with Caldwell, I was concerned with her mental state,” BGPD Detective Kyle Scharlow stated in the arrest citation. “I also was concerned for her welfare when she refused any medical treatment after likely just giving birth to a child.”

Records revealed Caldwell had a lack of ties to the area, and the scarcity of information she provided to police concerned law enforcement that she would not appear in court if released on citation.

According to WLKY, it’s unclear when or how the baby died. Police are awaiting results from the autopsy, leaving the possibility that Caldwell could face additional charges. Caldwell remains in custody after a cash bail of $2,500 was set. A court date has yet to be determined.