Police are searching for a woman who allegedly left a newborn baby lying in the middle of a rural California road in frigid temperatures. The Madera County Sheriff's Office in central California said a newspaper delivery person found the newborn baby girl early Monday morning, lying "on the center line of a roadway" with her umbilical cord still attached. The newspaper carrier said he took the baby into his vehicle to keep the child warm and dialed 911 immediately. "It's very fortunate that the child was discovered by the newspaper delivery person before she was seriously injured or even possibly killed," Madera County Undersheriff Tyson Pogue said at a press conference Monday night. The baby was wrapped in a blanket and wearing a one-piece flannel pajama set, Pogue said. She was transported to a local hospital and was said to be in good condition. Authorities estimated the baby was on the road for a matter of minutes. A witness said he encountered a woman with a baby near the scene, just minutes before the infant was found. He said the woman approached him with the infant in her arms and begged him to take the child. "He was approached by a female driving a white, smaller SUV. This female got out of her car, asked the man if he could help her and asked him to take her child," Pogue said. "The man directed her to the fire station and the Valley Children's Hospital down the street and suggested she take the baby there." The witness described the suspect as a Hispanic woman in her early 20s, who was driving a smaller white SUV, Pogue said. The suspect could face felony charges of child endangerment and possibly attempted murder, he said. Pogue said the baby was "cold" when she was rescued, but she's expected to recover. "Luckily, she was discovered early enough that she'll make a full recovery," Pogue. "We'd like to remind everyone that there are many safe surrender sites that will allow someone to surrender a newborn child without any questions asked." He said anyone with information about a potential suspect should contact the Madera County Sheriff's Office immediately.<doc-sep>article A newborn girl with her umbilical cord still attached was found by a newspaper carrier in the middle of a rural road before dawn in near-freezing temperatures. Authorities are seeking the mother. Sheriff's officials say a man walking around 4:30 a.m. Monday was approached by a woman in a white SUV who asked him to take her baby. He refused and suggested she take the newborn to a fire station or hospital. KFSN-TV reports the hours-old baby was wearing only a onesie when the newspaper carrier, Aurelio Fuentes, found her a short time later on the center line of the road in Madera County in Central California. Fuentes told the Fresno Bee her umbilical cord was still attached. The good Samaritan immediately took the newborn inside his vehicle and called 911. "It's very fortunate that the child was discovered by the newspaper delivery person before she was seriously injured or even possibly killed," Madera County Undersheriff Tyson Pogue said at a press conference Monday night. The child is hospitalized in good condition and is expected to fully recover. The state of California has a law that allows parents to safely surrender their baby. Parents or persons with lawful custody can safely surrender an infant within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked, at designated safe drop-off sites. The sites are typically hospitals or fire stations. Please see the California Department of Social Services website for more information. Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email Police are searching for the mother of a newborn girl who was found in the middle of a rural California road, with her umbilical cord still attached, in near freezing temperatures. According to ABC News, a newspaper delivery person found the baby early Monday lying “on the centre line of a roadway.” Sheriff’s officials say a man walking around 4:30 a.m. Monday was approached by a woman in a white SUV who asked him to take her baby. He refused and suggested she take the newborn to a fire station or hospital. READ MORE: Newborn baby rescued from storm drain in South Africa “He was approached by a female driving a white, smaller SUV. This female got out of her car, asked the man if he could help her and asked him to take her child,” Madera County Undersheriff Tyson Pogue told reporters Monday. “The man directed her to the fire station and the Valley Children’s Hospital down the street and suggested she take the baby there.” Story continues below advertisement The newspaper carrier found the child a short time later, and he wrapped the baby in a blanket before calling 911. “It’s very fortunate that the child was discovered by the newspaper delivery person before she was seriously injured or even possibly killed,” Pogue said. READ MORE: Firefighters rescue yet another child stuck in claw machine arcade game The child was taken to hospital and is said to be in good health. “Luckily, she was discovered early enough that she’ll make a full recovery,” Pogue. “We’d like to remind everyone that there are many safe surrender sites that will allow someone to surrender a newborn child without any questions asked.”