Police in Florida received a strange call about an abandoned baby on November 26. The caller described finding a newborn in a backyard in Palatka but had no idea how it got there. A quick call to 911 likely saved the baby’s life.
The Palatka Police Department reported that the baby was found early Sunday morning, but where it came from was initially a mystery. An investigation led officers into the home, where they located a 15-year-old girl who had allegedly given birth to the baby.
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The caller reportedly found the baby after midnight.
The unidentified person called 911, and officers arrived at a residence on North 17 Street around 12:40 a.m., according to a press release posted by the police department on Facebook. The caller reportedly said they found the baby wrapped in a blanket in the backyard but did not know how the baby got there or who may have left it.
The baby appeared to be brand new.
Police reported that officers examined the baby and determined it was a newborn because the umbilical cord was still attached and the baby was nude.
“Putnam County EMS was immediately called to the scene and took the child to the HCA Putnam Hospital,” the release reads.
The baby was reportedly not injured and was listed in stable condition at the hospital.
Police quickly identified the baby’s mother.
Palatka police reportedly entered the home and found a 15-year-old girl inside. After locating physical evidence inside the residence, officers determined the teen gave birth to the baby inside the house. Authorities did not identify the teen or the person who called 911.
Police did not release any further details.
Per the Miami Herald, police did not indicate how the baby got outside and did not file charges. The incident is under investigation.
According to AccuWeather, the low temperature in Palatka on Sunday was 59 degrees.
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The incident saddened the community.
Many comments on the Palatka Police Department’s Facebook page shared prayers for the infant and its mother after the shocking discovery.
“Poor baby must of been scared. Prayers for both children,” one person wrote.
Many echoed the sentiment.
"Praying for both babies," another person agreed.
“This is heartbreaking in so many ways. Both of these children need to be supported through this," someone else commented.
“How sad babies having babies prayers for both," another person added.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US teen birth rates are declining, as evidence suggests that more teens are abstaining from sexual activity and sexually active teens use birth control.
“Still, the US teen birth rate is substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations, and racial/ethnic and geographic disparities in teen birth rates persist,” the CDC reports.
