Dad left newborn at hospital to walk 7 miles for sex with underage teen, Ohio cops say

A father of a newborn left the baby and his girlfriend at a hospital to have sex with a 15-year-old, Ohio prosecutors say.

Steven Prest, 36, walked nearly seven miles from the hospital, texting the underage girl throughout, WJW reported.

“I definitely like you,” Prest texted the girl, the Cleveland TV station reported. “Or I wouldn’t take the risks I’m already taking.”

However, the 15-year-old girl was actually an undercover cop, according to an indictment obtained by McClatchy news group. Prest was caught in a sting targeting human trafficking during MLB All-Star Week in Cleveland, WOIO reported.

When cops arrested Prest in July, he told them of the newborn, according to body camera video obtained by McClatchy.

“I just had a little girl, man,” Prest told the police officers. “I’m over at the hospital. I literally come out here to meet some girl because she was talking kind of crazy.”

Prest told the officers he wanted to ask the teenager why she was talking to a 36-year-old man on the internet.

Hepleaded guilty in September to attempted sexual conduct with a minor and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, according to court records. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced him to two years in prison.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Carl Sullivan told WJW. “I’m happy we caught him.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Dad left newborn at hospital to walk 7 miles for sex with underage teen, Ohio cops say."