Abandoned Newborn Found Inside Box

June 02, 2009

Abandoned Newborn Found Inside Box

A driver was surprised Saturday when he found the newborn in a QVC cardboard box, along with a blanket, an article of clothing and a diaper, at the side of the road in Ocala, FLA.

Police on Monday said the baby girl, who is about 3 to 7 days old, appeared to be in good health, although she did suffer some ant bites. They believe the newborn may have been abandoned the night before being found.

Westly Pringle found the infant when he noticed fingers poking out of the box on the side of the road.

"That's the roughest start you could ever have; for your mom and dad to just abandon you on the side of the road," he said.
"It's terrible that someone would do that. I would rather them drop (the baby) on my doorstep than to do that. Take (the child) somewhere safe. They say ants had got on (the infant)," said Lois Dowdy, who lives near the location where the child was found.
"It's very sad. It's very dangerous. There are snakes out here," said Florastine Lee, who also lives nearby. "A lot of dangerous animals come out at night that could have eaten up that child, and that child did not ask to come into the world."

Police are now looking for a woman driving a gray pickup with a white topper who was seen in the area on Friday at about 7:30 p.m.

Many people have come forward offering to adopt the newborn, but authorities are looking for a family member who is willing to take care of her before putting her up for adoption. Regardless, it will take months before she is put up for adoption.

*Florida State law allows for an unwanted newborn to be left at a hospital, fire station or other emergency medical service station without it being considered child neglect.*

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