The Fort Worth Police Department is conducting an extensive investigation to find the person responsible for leaving the body of a baby inside a dumpster outside an apartment complex. So far, no further information has been released and there are no suspected suspects.
A resident of the La Hacienda Apartments on Norma Street in east Fort Worth opened a trash bin when he discovered the body of a baby inside. He immediately called authorities, who began an investigation.
The infant was found last week, but Fort Worth police decided to wait a few days to release the information, although so far there are no suspects.
“It is not known if the baby was discarded”
“Someone had approached the dumpster and somehow observed that there was a dead baby inside the dumpster,” Fort Worth Police Officer Brad Perez told FOX 4 News.
The Department’s Crimes Against Children Unit is investigating and trying to determine who gave birth to the baby and the circumstances that followed. Investigators have not provided any further details surrounding the baby.
“I don’t even know if the baby was thrown away, or if it was in a bag or not, I don’t have those details,” Perez told the same news outlet.
He added, “All I know is that the information being shared about crimes against children is extremely limited. They are doing this intentionally at this point, even those minor details they don’t want to reveal.”
Authorities told NBC 5 that the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the baby’s cause of death.
Who can do that to a newborn?
“When people hear about a crime this heinous, it affects a lot of people, especially the parents,” Officer Brad Perez told WFAA. “They can’t imagine that someone would do that to a newborn.”
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding more information on the matter, and are asking anyone who saw a pregnant woman who is no longer pregnant to contact the Police Department.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video that could help identify the person responsible.
Resource that protects babies
Katia Gonzalez, director of training and team relations for Alliance for Children, told WFAA that there is a Safe Haven law in Texas, in which mothers who do not believe they have the resources to support their babies can hand them over at 60 days old to any fire station, medical center or hospital.
They won’t be asked any questions, just about the child’s health condition, and they can leave. “This law really allows parents who don’t have the resources to keep their children safe, protected and cared for, to provide them with a better environment,” Gonzalez said.
The aim of this law is to ensure that babies are not harmed, but they believe that sometimes it is a lack of education that prevents them from knowing that they have the resources to hand over their children and keep them safe.
Detectives will release more information as they find those responsible for leaving the baby in the trash and the coroner learns the cause of death.
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