THOUSANDS of would-be parents have come forward to adopt a baby dumped in a plastic bag in the woods after harrowing footage of her discovery emerged.
The baby was found abandoned by the side of the road in Atlanta, Georgia with her umbilical cord still attached and covered with blood from her own birth.
Footage from a police bodycam showing an officer tearing open a shopping bag to retrieve the crying baby before wrapping her in a blanket was made public on Tuesday.
Police had been alerted to the baby girl by a family who had heard her crying.
Officials say the girl, who has now been named India, has no shortage of people volunteering to adopt her.
Tom Rawlings, director of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services, told Good Morning America: “We have people waiting in line to provide that child with a forever home.”
India was handed to paramedics, who performed first aid, but was found to have no significant injuries.
Forsyth Sheriff’s Deputy Terry Roper, who was on the scene, said: “When we were able to pick her up, wrap her up, get her a little warm, I was able to talk to her a little bit.”
“I wanted to give her comfort.
“A little bit later I realised it was the first time she had felt love, and I felt honoured to be able to give her that.”
Authorities have been looking for the girl’s mother since June 6, and are now appealing for anyone who knows a female who has recently been in the late stages of pregnancy but now has no child in her custody to come forward.
Rawlings said India was now healthy and being well cared for.
“In child protective services we deal with a lot of tragedy, of course,” he said.
“But it’s great to have a miracle. And this truly is a miracle.”
“I’ve been working child protective services for almost 20 years now, this is one of the most exciting, wonderful miracles I’ve seen in my life.”
The Sheriff’s Office reminded the public that the state of Georgia has a law called Safe Haven, which allows a new mother to leave a baby 30 days old or less of a number of public facilities without the threat of prosecution.
Facilities that qualify include any hospital, institutional infirmary, health or birthing centre, fire stations, and police stations.
The Sheriff’s Office reminded the public that the state of Georgia has a law called Safe Haven, which allows a new mother to leave a baby 30 days old or less of a number of public facilities without the threat of prosecution.
Facilities that qualify include any hospital, institutional infirmary, health or birthing centre, fire stations, and police stations.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
