In a baltantly sexist ruling the female parent gets bail but the male parent stays in jail - even though no one will vouche for her.

The woman charged in the abandonment of baby Angelica-Leslie was granted conditional bail yesterday in a decision her attorney called "a miracle."

Clad in a dark green prison track suit, the woman appeared at a lengthy bail hearing at a Finch Ave. W. courthouse shortly after her husband, also charged in the case, was remanded in custody in a quick hearing of his own.

After several hours of arguments from Crown and defence attorneys, the woman grinned and nodded enthusiastically at her lawyer when Justice Frederic Campling agreed to her release.

Her bail on $10,000 recognizance came despite the fact she had no family or friends willing to step forward as a surety for her.

Conditions on her release included stipulations on where she could live, as well as a restriction forbidding her from leaving the province.

She must also report to either Toronto or Waterloo regional police once a week, and must inform Toronto police before changing addresses.

She's also required to deliver any passports, visas or other travel documents in her possession to Waterloo police by early next week.

Her release came as a surprise, said attorney Alfred Herman, who represents both accused.

"This was a miracle," he said following the decision.

Noticeably absent from the ruling was any restriction keeping her from visiting her husband, or any restrictions keeping her from seeing the three children who were removed from the couple's home at the time of their arrests.

The children, all younger than 6, have been placed in the care of Waterloo Region children's services.

The woman and her husband are each charged with abandoning a child younger than 10, failing to provide the necessities of life, assault causing bodily harm and criminal negligence in connection with the January abandonment of the baby known as Angelica-Leslie.

The girl, about 8 months old at the time, was left in the stairwell of a parking lot outside a Finch Ave. E. and Leslie St shopping plaza. Police estimated the temperature at the time as being -14C.

Both accused appear next in court on June 20.