Once hailed a hero, Klever Sailema — the livery cab driver who dropped off a baby he said was abandoned — has been charged with making up the story of her abandonment.

Sailema and his girlfriend — Maria Siavichay — were both released on their own recognizance after their arraignment Saturday night. Sailema's been charged with filing a false report, while Siavichay is charged with criminal facilitation.

Sailema originally told investigators the baby had been left in the back seat by a passenger. But prosecutors say it was part of a plot hatched with the baby's father, who is Siavichay's brother. Prosecutors say he became overwhelmed caring for the baby alone. Police are still looking for him.

The baby's mother is just 14 years old and had walked out.

Sailema's lawyer wants the charges dropped. He says the couple thought they were following the state's safe haven law, which allows newborns to be dropped off at police stations, firehouses or hospitals, but he says they didn't know that the law only applies to children under five days old.

"We have a 14-year-old mother, who apparently abandoned the child, and we have a young father who didn't know how to take care of a child, was unprepared to take care of a child, it appears. And these other folks did what they felt was the right thing to do. And again, thank God the child is safe,” said defense attorney Kevin Faga.

The super of the family's apartment say he knew about their troubles.

"I told her to take care of the baby, to help him out with her, because he was in bad shape,” said Saul Navarro, through a translator. “When I saw him on Monday, I said to myself, Îhe's going to do something.’ I told him not to worry, that I would run downstairs and find someone to take care of the girl. I told him not to do anything."

The Administration for Children’s Services has placed the baby in a foster home.

Meanwhile, the head of the State Federation of Taxi and Limousine Drivers Fernando Mateo — one of Sailema's earliest supporters — says he's still standing behind the driver.

Mateo says he is embarrassed, but not ashamed of his early support, noting that the driver's actions may have very well saved the baby's life.

"It's very easy to come out and say that this guy is a liar — that he's not who he says he is. The bottom line is that he hasn't committed any crime,” said Mateo. “He lied to the police, yes and we don't agree with that, and we don't condone that, we don't condone anyone misleading the authorities, but we are going to stick by this man."

Mateo says he is paying Sailema's legal expenses.