A woman in California was arrested and charged after police say her newborn infant was found on the street alone.
The Lodi Police Department wrote in a post on Facebook that police were dispatched on Thursday, Sept. 26, after they received a call about an infant found in the Lodi area around 11:40 a.m. Police said “numerous patrol and investigative units” located the infant, who was “pronounced deceased.”
Police added that its preliminary investigation found that 29-year-old Lodi native Kathryn Grace Copeland “abandoned the deceased newborn.”
Copeland “was ultimately arrested” and charged with “the abandonment of the deceased newborn,” said police, who worked closely with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office on the charges.
“An incident like this can be difficult and evoke a wide range of emotions,” the Lodi Police Department said in its post. “Not only does it affect our community but also our first responders, including our officers, dispatchers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel.”
“Please remember that several organizations and resources are available to help those in need,” the department added.
A bystander told CBS News the infant was found behind a mechanic shop.
Another witness told KCRA-TV an employee found the child while on break.
“[When the employee] tried to sit down on the floor, [they] turned around and [saw] the baby,” Silvia Gonzales said, per KCRA-TV. “I wanted to cry. When I [saw the baby], I just tried to see if it was moving or not, but I don’t see [anything].”
Following the news, Lodi Fire Battalion Chief Michael Alegre issued a reminder to California residents that a safe surrender system was in place for people who were not able to care for an infant.
“We give them a bracelet for the child and the mother. A serial number, if you will,” he told CBS News. “They have 14 days to reclaim the child if they want it.”
“Please bring them to a safe surrender site and you can walk away, free and clear,” he added.
According to California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Program, “A parent or person with lawful custody can safely surrender a baby confidentially, and without fear of prosecution, within 72 hours of birth.”
People can drop off the baby at a “public or private hospital, designated fire station or other safe surrender site,” according to the law, which was created in 2001.
