Texas mother, 18, charged over claims she gave her month-old baby to stranger she met at BUS STOP

Sign up for our US Editor's Picks newsletter to get all the biggest exclusive storiesSee more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 13:46 EDT, 21 September 2026 | Updated: 13:55 EDT, 21 September 2026 A teenage Texas mother has been accused of trying to give away her infant son to a stranger she met at a bus stop.Karla Ibarra, 18, allegedly approached Jennifer Benavides on September 13 and at first asked to use her phone, KSAT reported. During the encounter, Benavides began fawning over the teenage mom's one-month-old son, who was not publicly named.Benavides recounted Ibarra telling her: 'Well, do you want him? I’m going to give him away. I’m going to give him to somebody.'The woman did not think the mom was being serious at first, but after Ibarra handed her the boy, his birth certificate, his Medicaid and his Social Security cards, Benavides understood the severity of the situation, she told KSAT. She tried to help the teen mom and took her to a friend's place nearby. Soon after arriving, however, Ibarra allegedly left her infant in the care of Benavides and the friend, then left in an Uber.The pair called police and informed officers of the situation when they arrived. Ibarra returned later that evening, and she was arrested. Karla Ibarra, 18, was arrested after being accused of trying to give away her one-month-old son to a stranger she met at a bus stop on September 13 Jennifer Benavides claimed she was 'offered' the boy by Ibarra Ibarra was charged with abandoning and endangering a child with intent to return, and she was booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $7,000 bond, according to court records.The jail's records indicate that she posted bail through corporate surety, which means an insurance company agreed to pay her bond in full if she skips her court date. Ibarra was released on September 15 at 7.15pm, the records show. Ibarra was issued a court-appointed attorney and has a pre-indictment hearing scheduled for January 20, 2027, according to court records. Her criminal charge is classified as a state jail felony under Texas law, and if convicted, Ibarra faces six months to two years behind bars and a fine of up to $10,000.After the teen mom was arrested, Child Protective Services confirmed to KSAT that the infant was placed in the care of relatives. Benavides told the outlet she is glad to have been the one that Ibarra approached, though she was initially worried that the 18-year-old might try to spin the story to make her look like she was in the wrong. She also said that she found Ibarra's actions 'upsetting,' given 'all the resources that we have out there.' Texas has a statewide program called the Safe Haven Law, which 'allows parents to anonymously surrender an unharmed infant 60 days old or younger without legal repercussions,' according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The alleged attempted abandonment occurred at this bus stop in downtown San AntonioParents can surrender infants at Designated Emergency Infant Care locations, which include fire stations, EMS stations and hospitals. To give up the child, the parent must physically hand them over to an employee at the location or deposit them into a 'safe baby box,' which immediately sets off a silent alarm that leads to the infant being attended to within minutes.