A newborn baby was found abandoned on a walking trail in Texas with her umbilical cord still attached.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the baby, a premature female, was found Saturday morning unclothed and wrapped in a towel adjacent to a bayou in Katy, Texas.
The baby was transported to a local hospital and is in stable condition.
Child abuse investigators with HCSO said an unknown male dropped the newborn off at the 5400 block of Casa Martin Drive, but not much other information is known.
“We don’t have any leads at this time,” said HCSO Sgt. Juan Garcia in a press briefing. “That’s all the information we have currently, but we’re still looking into possible video footage regarding an alleged suspect.”
Police said based on the baby’s condition, still found with the placenta, it had to have been “freshly born” that morning.
Investigators said the two people who stumbled upon the child were a blessing for finding the infant early in the day before the sweltering heat.
“The two witnesses that were thankfully walking on the trail with their child and their dogs were a blessing,” Garcia said. “They discovered the child and immediately contacted 911, so the child wasn’t out in these elements — which is very hot right now — for a very long time.”
Though no suspects have been identified, investigators said they could face charges of abandonment and endangerment of a child.
Texas has a Safe Haven Law, also known as the “Baby Moses Law,” in place for such scenarios.
Under the law, babies that are 60 days or younger — and unharmed and safe — can be dropped off at any hospital, fire station or emergency medical services station in the state of Texas without the risk of prosecution for abandonment or neglect.
The person dropping off the infant should leave it with an employee and express that they want to leave it at a “safe haven.” The person may be asked about their family or medical history to ensure the baby receives proper care.
In the case of the baby left outside over the weekend, police are surveying neighbors for information and/or possible camera footage.
An investigation remains ongoing.
