A newborn baby was found abandoned and dead inside a garbage bin at a Florida university on Sunday. Following a police investigation, the mother was located, and she claimed that the baby died shortly after birth.
On Saturday, University of Tampa campus security called first responders at about 3:30 p.m. concerning a young woman having a possible miscarriage. However, EMS cleared the woman after she told them that the blood that had been found was from her period.
Students at the McKay Hall dorm reported hearing a baby cry that same afternoon and students also reported seeing a fellow student holding a bundled up towel. On Sunday, students gave a trash bag to security, saying they found it in a dorm room and thought it was suspicious following the events from Saturday. A security guard opened the bag and saw the baby inside.
Police officers were called and said that they found the body of a newborn girl wrapped in a towel inside that garbage bag, according to a press release from the Tampa police department.
The mother of the child was found and was taken to a local hospital. She told investigators that she gave birth to the baby in a dorm bathroom and that the baby died shortly after. She also said she hadn’t had her period in about a year and didn’t know she was pregnant. She did admit, however, that she “may have been in denial.”
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The young woman explained that she felt nauseated on Saturday morning and gave birth in a bathroom located between two adjoining dorm rooms. However, she said the baby only cried for about five seconds, and when she put the baby on her chest, the baby stopped crying. When the woman put the baby down on a towel and put her hand on the baby’s chest, she didn’t think the baby was breathing any longer.
She then allegedly took a shower, cleaned the baby, who showed no signs of life, and then wrapped her in a towel. The woman slept for about an hour, and when she woke up the baby still wasn’t showing signs of life, so she then put the baby in a trash can and went back to sleep. When the paramedics checked on her, asking if she was pregnant, she told them no.
“The loss of a child is always a tragedy. As our department actively investigates this incident, we want all expectant mothers to know there are resources available,” Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement.
Police brought the baby’s body to the Medical Examiner’s office to undergo an autopsy in hopes of determining the cause of death and the baby’s age.
Along with every other state, Florida has a Safe Haven law that allows parents to anonymously surrender their newborns — seven days or younger — to any hospital, emergency medical service station, or fire station staffed with full-time medical service technicians, paramedics, or firefighters who are to be handed the baby directly. The parent will not face charges. Florida legislators passed a bill earlier this year that would increase the age limit of the newborn from seven days to 30. It has yet to be signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis but will become law on July 1 regardless of his signature, unless he vetoes it.
“The Tampa Police Department reminds the community that Florida has a Safe Haven Law… There will be no questions asked, and no charges will be filed for surrendering a newborn under the Safe Haven Law unless the infant has signs of abuse or neglect,” Bercaw said.
Infant abandonments occur in states where abortion is legal without limits and also in states where preborn lives are protected at earlier ages. Killing a child by abortion or leaving a born child to die, regardless of age or stage of development, is tragic and unnecessary.
Expectant mothers in Florida who need assistance can visit The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay by calling 211, or they can call the Florida Department of Health at 850-245-4047 or The National Safe Haven Alliance Hotline at 888-510-2229.
