Mother of unattended baby arrested on cocaine charge

By Kyle B. Hansen, Mary Manning

Published Thursday, April 16, 2009 | 10:18 a.m.

Updated Thursday, April 16, 2009 | 12:38 p.m.

The mother of an unattended baby girl found by Metro Police in a stroller Wednesday in the northeast Las Vegas Valley has been found and is being questioned by detectives.

Police identified the girl's mother as Albanisha Jones, 20, of Las Vegas. She was arrested today on drug charges unrelated to the unattended baby.

Jones has been charged with possession of cocaine and is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on $3,000 bail. Her identification came after tips were received on the hot line set up by Metro Police.

Officers arrived at East Charleston Boulevard and Pecos Road at about noon Wednesday and found the 8-month-old baby girl, police said. The baby weighed 27 pounds and was in a dark blue stroller with a distinct yellow diamond patterns, police said.

Police said this afternoon they are not sure how long the baby was left unattended.

The baby seemed well cared for and was taken into protective custody, where she remained early this afternoon, police said. She was placed in Child Haven, a home for abused and neglected children, after being evaluated at University Medical Center, police said.

Police found an aqua blue knapsack and a stuffed animal tied with a plastic strand of beads. The word "Criss" was written in pink across the front of the stuffed animal.