Escondido

An Escondido woman pleaded no contest Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of child abandonment for leaving her 1-day-old child in a minister’s car.

Jodie Marie Edwards, 32, could be ordered to serve one year in County Jail and fined $1,000 at her sentencing April 23. Her attorney, Rena Margolis, told Judge William B. Draper Jr. that she will ask for probation.

Edwards, a mother of five, appeared calm during the hearing. Draper allowed her to remain free on her own recognizance. Edwards was accused of leaving her daughter in a car belonging to the Rev. Charles Keturakat outside Palomar Hospital on Dec. 26. She was arrested about two weeks later, after acquaintances told police she had appeared pregnant before Christmas but had returned to work a short time later, thinner and without a baby.

After initial reluctance, Edwards cooperated with the district attorney’s investigation, which resulted in a reduction of the original felony charge of child abandonment to a misdemeanor.

The child was born Christmas Day in the family home, while Edwards’ four other children were in another room opening their presents, according to her husband, Bob Edwards.

Bob Edwards said his wife was afraid to tell him about her pregnancy because the family was having financial difficulties.

The child spent three weeks in a foster home supervised by the County Department of Child Protective Services. A Juvenile Court judge returned the child to Edwards after he convinced the court that he knew nothing about his wife’s pregnancy or the child’s abandonment.