A newborn baby was abandoned under bushes in a parking lot. The baby boy was discovered by a women picking her child up from daycare in Pompano Beach, Florida.
The infant was found sleeping peacefully under bushes in a parking lot between two churches. Jaceline Saxton, of Saxton of Queens Little Angels daycare, was driving into the parking lot when the woman stopped her for help. The women took the baby inside the daycare facility and contacted authorities.
As reported by local10.com , the infant was only a few days old. According to witnesses, the newborn baby appeared to be well cared for and was sleeping peacefully. Nicole Carter, Director of the daycare center, was stunned that someone would leave a newborn baby abandoned under the bushes:
“He was wrapped in a blue blanket. He had his hat on and a pacifier. He was sleeping. He was beautiful. He was sleeping.”
Authorities noted that the baby’s umbilical cord was not “surgically cut,” indicating that he was not born in a hospital. Carter suggested that the infant’s mother may have been frightened and did not know what to do with him.
In many states, abandoning an infant is considered a criminal offense. However, under Florida’s “Safe Haven Law,” mothers have the option to surrender an infant to authorities without legal repercussions.
The Safe Haven Law offers a safe, legal option to mothers who are unwilling or unable to care for their baby. Infants under 8 days old can be surrendered to fire stations and hospitals anonymously, no questions asked.
As reported by WFTV.com , the Broward County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the parents of the infant for questioning as the child was not surrendered according to Safe Haven rules. If the baby’s parents are located, they may face criminal charges.
The abandoned newborn is reportedly in good health and will be placed with an adoption agency.
[Image via Flickr ]
