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Police: Dead Baby Found Inside Plastic Bag In Harwinton, Connecticut Reservoir

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 07:38 PST, Mar 22, 2017

An investigation is ongoing after a dead baby was found wrapped in a plastic bag in Harwinton, Connecticut reservoir, News 12 Connecticut reports.

Employees with the city of Bristol Water Department made the shocking discovery around 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday, March 21 while executing weekly performance work at Harwinton reservoir.

The dead baby was found inside a bag in Bristol Reservoir #4, which is located on Route 72 and Route 4, just south of Hartford, in which the City of Bristol Water Department maintains.

Workers with the Bristol Water Department immediately notified police.

Connecticut State Police detectives from Western District Major Crime and the State Police Dive Team responded to the scene in a bid to conduct an investigation, searching beneath the surface, as well as on land, of the Harwinton reservoir for possible evidence.

They are also working diligently to uncover how the baby ended up dead in a reservoir.

State troopers blocked Route 72 in Harwinton and in Plymouth, which leads to the reservoir. It was not immediately made clear if the roads have reopened.

It was reported that the child’s age and gender had not been determined, and circumstances leading up to his or her death is under investigation.

After learning a dead baby was found inside a bag in Harwinton reservoir, Harwinton First Selectman Michael Criss was stunned, “especially having kids of his own.”

“I still fight back the tears as I think about it,” said Criss. “Just to know this poor child was not given the same opportunity that children should be given and just disregarded as trash and it just breaks my heart.”

He went on to say that it is seldom that an incident of this magnitude is being investigated in Harwinton as he claims it is a safe community.

Criss added: “I know the first thing I’m going to do is go home and hug my kids.”

“If you got kids, grandkids, go out and hug and kiss them, and be thankful every day that you were blessed to have them and be thankful they’re here.”

“Just the disregard for life is shocking to me. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen in Harwinton.”

Bristol’s Water Department contacted the state Department of Health after the dead baby was found in “untreated waters.” It was stated that the “reservoir has been offline the past few days due to an ongoing drought.”

However, Harwinton residents have been reassured that “the drinking water is completely safe in the City of Bristol.”

After the dead baby was recovered from Harwinton reservoir, his or her body was transported to a local medical examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, age, gender, how long the baby was in the water, and if the baby was alive before being left behind in a reservoir.

According to the Safe Haven law in Connecticut, a parent is permitted to leave their unwanted baby, up to 30 days old, with an employee at an emergency hospital at any given time.

If the baby is uninjured, the parent may leave the baby behind without facing any criminal charges, and no questions will be asked.

Parents will have a few months to reclaim the baby, but if they fail to do so, all parental rights will be terminated, and the child will be put up for adoption.

States offer Safe Haven laws to “protect unwanted babies from being hurt or killed because they were abandoned.”

If anyone has information regarding the dead baby found in Harwinton, Connecticut reservoir, investigators urge you to call “Troop L at 860-626-7900 or text TIP711 with any information to 274637. All calls will remain confidential.”

An investigation continues.

[Featured Image by mphotoi/iStock]

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