“It was an ugly ending by any measure, but particularly cruel in this case because the little girl’s life began the same way: wrapped in a plastic bag and discarded on a New York City byway.

In September 1994, days after her birth, Stephanie was discovered near her parents’ home, those who have seen her records say. The lack of oxygen in the bag probably contributed to mental retardation so profound that even when she reached age 8 she had only the awareness of a child younger than 1. She weighed 28 pounds. Although the records are unclear as to blame, the infant’s parents quickly lost their rights to care for her and she became a ward of the state.

The almost unspeakably grim end occurred despite intense intervention from the state practically from the girl’s birth. The eight years of Stephanie’s life, the years between trash bag and trash bag, offer a glimpse into the unevenness and unpredictability of care for perhaps the most vulnerable of New York’s citizens, severely disabled foster children.” NY Times