SAN ANTONIO, TX – A 15-year-old boy with autism was allegedly abandoned by his mother near a dumpster in June, according to authorities. Natalie Munno, the mother, was arrested on Sunday and is currently in custody at the Bexar County Jail.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage from a nearby coffee shop on June 13, shows Munno helping her daughter ouf of the backseat of her car and guiding her toward the area near a dumpster enclosed by metal doors. The owner of the coffee shop subsequently found the girl and alerted San Antonio Police. Police stated that upon their arrival the 15-year-old exhibited erratic behavior.
The affidavit further reveals that Munno went back to her home in Bandera where the girl’s grandmother questioned the whereabouts of the teen. This led the grandmother to contact Bandera County deputies and file a missing person’s report.
When deputies arrived at Munno’s house, she allegedly informed them that she had contacted Child Protective Services (CPS) and had met with someone named Sarah at a local Costco to surrender her parental rights over the girl.
Several days later, an amber alert for the girl was issued. However, it was promptly canceled once deputies confirmed that the girl was already in police custody.
The affidavit asserts that Munno was aware that her child was not capable of looking after herself. Following her arrest on Sunday, she was booked into the Bexar County jail, facing a charge of child endangerment and abandonment with no intent to return.
The Bandera County Sheriff’s Office, which had originally filed the missing person’s report, was not available for comment.