Abandoned Newborn Baby Boy Saved After He Was Left Next to a Dumpster

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Sep 23, 2019   |   1:56PM   |   Arlington, Texas

A baby boy is doing well in the hospital after he was abandoned in a container near a trash bin Saturday in Arlington, Texas, according to police.

Arlington Police Department Lt. Christopher Cook said the newborn is expected to survive, thanks to the actions of a woman who found him, Fox News reports.

Police said the baby boy is African American and appears to have been a day or two old when he was abandoned.

According to police, a woman who was taking out her trash around 8:15 a.m. Saturday at the Monterra Pointe Apartments heard the baby cry. She told police that she found him in a closed container near the trash bin.

“Basically, the child was just kind of discarded there,” Cook said. “When she opened the container, the child appeared to be in distress. So that’s what prompted her call to 911.”

“Number one, the container was closed, and it’s hot outside,” he continued. “There’s no telling if she wasn’t taking trash out at that moment in time this morning, we could be talking about a totally different scenario right now.”

Police said they are searching for the baby’s mother. She could face felony charges.

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All 50 states have safe haven laws to protect babies from abandonment and infanticide. Safe haven laws allow mothers in crisis to leave their newborns in a safe environment, such as a hospital or fire station, without questions or repercussions, as long as there are no signs of abuse.

In Texas, the Baby Moses Law allows parents to surrender a newborn up to 60 days old at a fire station, hospital or emergency medical services (EMS) station in Texas. The child will receive medical care and be placed in the custody of the state.

More than 130 babies have been surrendered to safe havens in Texas alone, according to KXAN. Hundreds more likely have been saved from abandonment and death all across the country, thanks to safe haven laws.

If you or someone you know would like more information about relinquishing a newborn child, please call 1-866-99BABY1 or 1-888-510-BABY. More information also is available at NationalSafeHavenAlliance.org or SafeHavenLaw.com.