The woman who delivered her baby in the bushes and stuffed the newborn in a discarded washing machine last week, will leave hospital in police custody.

The 20-year-old woman, who also has a two-year-old son, is expected to appear in court today, charged with child abandonment.

She faces a five-year jail term if found guilty.

The baby boy, named Joshua, will remain at the Mt Hope Hospital while a medical social worker investigates the case and recommends whether the baby will be allowed to go home to his grandmother.

The mother, who was also taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope for treatment, said she delivered her child without help in an overgrown lot near the home in Longdenville she shared with her parents and son.

The woman returned home, took a bath and left for work with a caterer contracted with the School Nutrition Programme.

It was her father, who joined a crowd when the baby was found, who took his child to the police. The woman told police she never meant for the baby to be harmed and left the child in the bush because of her mother's warning - there would be no more babies in the house.

The 53-year-old grandmother has since forgiven her daughter and said she will accept her new grandchild. But police said a criminal charge had to be laid because the newborn could easily have died. The umbilical cord was still attached to the afterbirth and the child was being bitten by ants when found.

Constable Suliman Balkaran is spearheading investigations.