Nevada Mother Accused of Trying to Suffocate Newborn on Way to Hospital

A Nevada woman was arrested Wednesday and is being accused of trying to suffocate her newborn baby on the way to a hospital, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Las Vegas police were called to MountainView Hospital after 23-year-old Ashley Hollingsworth reportedly dropped off her baby and ran away. Authorities share that it was later revealed that she attempted to smother the baby girl “with a blanket while enroute to the hospital.” She was eventually booked on one count of child abuse and one count of attempted murder, per records.

Hollingsworth’s aunt and uncle reportedly shared with authorities that the mother gave birth to the child in a guest bathroom in a Vegas home, and that they found the newborn in a toilet. The uncle told police that he saw Hollingsworth attempt to smother the baby with a blanket twice while on the way to the hospital. Two hours later, the mother—who shared with police she had two other young children— was found with a head wound and bloody pants near the hospital, and said she was “beat up by a rock.”

An arrest report claims Hollingsworth—who was diagnosed with a medical condition four years ago—“continuously talked about prophecies and other religious ideations” and thought the child was evil. She will now appear in court Monday and is being held without bail.