City of Corpus Christi Police Department

CORPUS CHRISTI - (News Release) At approximately 10:30 pm on Sunday, March 20, 2022, officers were dispatched to Comanche and Port, in reference to a Welfare Check.

The call notes provided that a woman was walking along the 2300 block of Comanche Street, asking bystanders to take her infant child.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with the reporting parties, as well as the offender and infant who is less than two-weeks old.

During the investigation, officers received information that 25-year-old Yessenia Cardenas was walking down the street and was attempting to give her infant away. The reporting parties told officers that they stopped to speak with Yessenia, and it was at this time that she offered the infant to them. The witnesses took possession of the child and immediately called 911.

The officers contacted a medic unit to check on the welfare of the infant and as well as Yessenia, as she appeared to be under the influence of an unknown narcotic. The officers also contacted Child Protection Services; a case worker was dispatched to the scene to investigate the incident.

At the conclusion of the preliminary investigation, the infant was taken into custody by Child Protective Services. Yessenia Cardenas was placed into custody and charged with Abandoning or Endangering a Child, which is a State Jail Felony.