'She's a sweetheart': Police officer rescues newborn baby dumped in a plastic bag
WARNING - GRAPHIC CONTENT: A newborn baby has been found tied inside a plastic bag and dumped at the side of a road.
Confronting footage from the bodycam of a police officer captured the moment the child was discovered in roadside bushland on June 6, in Forsyth County, Georgia.
Distressed cries from the baby could be heard, before the officer crouched down to rip the bag open and reveal the body of the wailing infant.
In video uploaded to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, the officer tries calming the child by picking her up and talking to her softly.
“Oh I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…oh look how precious you are,” he could be heard saying.
The child’s bloodied body was then seen wrapped in a camouflage printed jumper as a paramedic arrived at the scene.
“She’s a sweetheart,” one of the ambulance officers said, as the baby gripped her hand around their finger.
In an update to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, it was announced the baby had been named India and was “thriving”.
“We are happy to report that Baby India is thriving and is in the care of the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services,” the post read.
Police said it had been receiving tips from “across the country” with information relating to the possible identity of the child’s parents.
“We release this footage in hopes to receive credible information on the identity of Baby India and to show how important it is to find closure in this case,” police said.
The sheriff’s office reminded the public of Georgia’s “Safe Haven” laws, which allows mothers to leave their baby, up to 30 days old, with an employee of any medical facility without prosecution.
This includes any hospital, institutional infirmary, health centre or birthing centre, hospital, fire station or police station.
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