Authorities are investigating the Friday surrender of a newborn at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle.
An unidentified male brought the baby to emergency room nurses at about 7 a.m. and left in a pickup, a Columbus Police Department press release said.
During a press conference at Lowndes County Adult Detention Center involving another case, Hawkins said the man allegedly told nurses he had found the newborn in a garbage can outside a convenience store. Both Hawkins and the CPD press release said there is no evidence to confirm that, though various versions of that rumor have circulated on social media.
The baby is fine and is receiving care at Baptist, authorities said.
Mississippi’s Safe Haven law allows babies up to 45 days after birth to be surrendered anonymously at hospitals and fire stations, no questions asked. Abandoning a baby in the garbage is a crime.
Hawkins, during the press conference, appealed to the unidentified man who surrendered the baby to contact authorities to give a statement. Without knowing what happened or where it happened, he said, there’s no evidence of a crime.
CPD asked anyone with information to contact the police department or leave an anonymous tip with Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at (800) 530-7151.
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