Police charge mother with leaving baby on sidewalk

SHARON, Pa. -- Jessica M. Gordon, 19, of Euclid Boulevard, Youngstown, was freed on her own recognizance, charged with leaving her 5-month-old daughter sitting alone on a sidewalk in the 200 block of Cedar Avenue.
Police said Gordon brought the child to Cedar Avenue around 4 p.m. Wednesday to see the baby's father. The parents got into an argument and Gordon decided to leave, taking the baby out to her car.
The baby's father went to the car with her and then returned to the house. However, neighbors told police that Gordon then sat the baby on the sidewalk in her car seat and drove away. The father realized a short time later that the baby was on the sidewalk and took her inside, police said.
Gordon returned shortly thereafter but was refused admission to the house. She used a jar of baby food to break the window in the front door of the house and then tried to crawl through an unlocked window before officers arrived and arrested her on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, police said.
The child was turned over to its grandmother in Youngstown and Mercer County Children & amp; Youth Services was notified, police said.
Gordon spent the night in jail and was arraigned Thursday before District Justice James McMahon.