A California teenager is behind bars after he was caught on surveillance video driving away from his newborn baby after leaving it on the pavement of a shopping mall parking lot.

CBS News reports that Daniel Mitchell, 18, drove to a strip mall in Suisun City on Monday afternoon, where he removed an infant car seat from his car, placed it on the pavement, and drove away.

Witnesses at a nearby barbershop noticed the baby carrier and contacted authorities after realizing there was an infant in the carrier.



The 16-day-old baby did not have any obvious injuries and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. The baby boy has since been released into protective custody.

After speaking to witnesses and reviewing surveillance video from a nearby smoke shop, police were able to identify the suspect and obtained his license plate information.

Mitchell was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run accident later Monday and taken to the hospital. Authorities apprehended him there, and he has been charged with child endangerment, child abandonment, committing a felony while free on bail and misdemeanor possession of suspected cocaine.

According to ABC 7, he is being held on $500,000 bail.

Police spoke to the baby’s mother, who is reportedly not a suspect.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Suisun City Police at (707) 421-7361 or Solano County Crime Stoppers at (707) 644-7867.

Feature photo: ABC 7 screenshot