A 19-year-old Maryland woman is facing child neglect charges after police say she walked out on her infant daughter to hang out with friends at a fast food restaurant, leaving the baby alone in conditions officers described as unsafe and unsanitary.
Aberdeen Police arrested Kira Faust on May 18, 2026, following a call about an unattended infant at a residence on the 600 block of West Bel Air Avenue in Harford County.
When officers arrived, they found a 6-month-old baby alone inside the home. The conditions inside the residence raised immediate concerns, prompting police to take temporary custody of the child on the spot.
How It All Unfolded
With help from the Bel Air Police Department, officers tracked down Faust and brought her in for questioning.
During the investigation, Faust allegedly told police she had left the infant home alone while she went to meet up with friends at a nearby McDonald’s in Bel Air. No babysitter, no family member, no one was left behind to watch the baby.
Staff at UM Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in Aberdeen stepped in to provide essential baby supplies while Child Protective Services worked quickly to arrange a safe placement for the child.
The baby received care and was placed out of the home as authorities sorted through the next steps.
Faust was formally charged with child neglect. She was later released on her own recognizance, meaning she walked free without posting bail while the case moved forward through the court system.
Community Reacts With Outrage
News of the arrest spread quickly across social media, drawing a wave of strong reactions from people in and around the Harford County area.
Many expressed disbelief that a mother would leave a 6-month-old unattended for any reason, let alone a casual outing to a restaurant.
Several commenters on Facebook pointed to the age of the mother and questioned whether she was ready for the responsibilities of parenthood.
One commenter wrote that you do not have to be grown to have a baby, but you do have to be grown to raise one. Others expressed frustration that Faust was released after the arrest, calling for greater accountability through the courts.
On Instagram, where the story also circulated widely, many users questioned why the baby could not simply come along to McDonald’s.
Others expressed hope that the child would not be returned to Faust’s care anytime soon. Some comments were more sympathetic toward the difficulty young parents face, while still making clear that leaving an infant alone was never acceptable under any circumstances.
The case has also reignited a broader conversation about the support systems available to young and struggling parents in Maryland, with some community members pointing out that resources like family assistance programs and parenting education could make a real difference in situations like this one.
As of now, the infant remains in a safe placement arranged by Child Protective Services. Faust’s case is expected to proceed through the Harford County court system.
No trial date has been publicly announced. Aberdeen Police have not released additional details about the ongoing investigation or whether further charges could follow.
