A Texas high school staffer has just been arrested after she allegedly dumped her newborn in a cow pasture with her umbilical cord still attached more than 20 years ago — leaving the little girl to bleed out, authorities said.
Shelby Stotts, 48, was arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge on Tuesday after DNA testing finally confirmed she is the baby’s biological mom, according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
The infant, who has long been dubbed “Angel Baby Doe,” was found on the side of a road near Fort Worth in November 2001.
Investigators said evidence had later determined that the baby was still alive and breathing when she was born.
Angel Baby Doe eventually bled to death because her umbilical cord hadn’t been clamped, according to authorities.
Stott’s DNA was only linked to the crime last September, court papers charge.
It wasn’t immediately clear, though, how authorities pinned her as a person of interest in the decades-old case.
She is accused of recklessly causing her baby’s death because she failed to seek prompt medical care after giving birth, authorities said.
Stotts had worked as a paraprofessional at Cleburne High School, FOX 4 reported.
Tthe Cleburne Independent School District said it was “aware of the arrest and grand jury indictment of Shelby Stotts. Cleburne ISD takes these allegations very seriously. Shelby Stotts is no longer employed by Cleburne ISD.”
It wasn’t immediately clear when Stotts left her role, or if she was fired.
“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.”