‘She’s a strong little girl’: Polk County deputies find newborn baby on a hill, wrapped in a blanket

A newborn baby was found, wrapped in a blanket, on a small hill in Polk County, deputies said.

According to a news release, early Saturday morning, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was called to Mulberry after someone reported hearing a baby crying outside.

At about 1:47 am, deputies found the girl, wrapped in a blanket, on a small hill near the Regal Loop Mobile Home Park, just off Bailey Road. She was still attached to the placenta, deputies said.

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Based on the infant’s body temperature, Polk County Fire Rescue medics estimated that the girl had been born approximately one hour before she was found.

Temperatures on Saturday night were in the lower 50s.

The newborn baby girl was transported to the hospital and appears to be healthy and in stable condition.

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“It was by the Grace of God that we found the abandoned baby girl when we did before exposure to the cold or any animals caused her any harm. She was left in an extremely vulnerable condition, but she’s a strong little girl, and it looks like she’s doing great,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Deputies searched for the mother using K-9s, drones and went door-to-door, but were unable to locate the mother.

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According to a news release, “The Polk County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind mothers about Florida’s Safe Haven Law, enacted in 2000, which allows for parents to leave their unharmed newborn child (under a week old) at any Safe Haven facility (hospitals or properly staffed EMS/Fire Station) anonymously, and without fear of prosecution.

If anyone has any information about the mother of this baby, call the Polk County Sheriff’s Office at 863-298-6200.

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