Police responded to an emergency call at the Bernice Lavin Early Childhood Education Center in Chicago after two newborn babies were found unresponsive in a bathroom. Upon further investigation, police reportedly found a 29-year-old woman covered in blood in a bathroom. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment.
The woman reportedly gave birth to the twin girls at the day care center on Thursday. The unexpected delivery tragically ended with the death of both infants. Police are investigating the incident and trying to figure out what led to the infants' deaths.
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The infants were reportedly found in trash bags.
A janitor was called to the bathroom to clean up blood and found the newborn babies unresponsive inside trash bags in the bathroom, CBS News reported. EMS arrived at the facility and took the infants to Lurie Children's Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, the deaths are under investigation.
The incident was described as a medical emergency.
The child care facility is exclusively used by Northwestern Medicine employees and staffed by Bright Horizons day care, CBS News explained. In a statement obtained by the news outlet, the center stated a day care employee "experienced a medical emergency that resulted in the unanticipated delivery of newborn twin babies."
No other children were involved in what happened.
A representative for Northwestern said that none of the children at the child care facility were involved in the incident, ABC 7 reported. The Bernice E. Lavin Childhood Education Center released this statement:
"We are heartbroken by the tragic situation that occurred at the Bernice E. Lavin Childhood Education Center when a staff member experienced a medical emergency that resulted in the unanticipated delivery of newborn twin babies. All children and families enrolled at the center are safe and none were involved in the incident. We will be providing emotional and mental health support to all members of our center team and families. We ask for support and respect for everyone involved at this time as we grieve together and work to support each other and any ensuing investigation."
The mother of the twins was not arrested.
Police did not take the mother into custody, CBS News reported, but noted that the infants' deaths are under investigation. The news outlet said police would not state whether it is a criminal investigation. The condition of the mother is unknown.
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Illinois parents are protected by the Safe Haven Law.
The Chicago Department of Public Health website outlines Illinois' Safe Haven Law. Newborns 1 month and younger can be given to employees of fire stations, police stations, hospitals, and other emergency facilities with no questions asked.
"If the infant is unharmed, no one will try to find the birth parent(s) and there are no legal consequences for the parents. These infants are considered relinquished and will be placed in an adoptive home," the health department's website explains. "This option is there to prevent frightened or desperate parents from abandoning an infant in an unsafe place."
It is not necessary to talk to anyone or make prior plans to leave a baby at a Safe Haven site.
"Not every new parent is able to take care of their infant. For parents who feel like they cannot take care of their baby and cannot complete an adoption plan, there is the option of Safe Haven," the health department notes.
