Police Locate Mother Of Newborn Left Naked In Woods In Maryland

Miracle in Maryland. Authorities rescued a baby in Silver Spring, Maryland, after a passerby heard the baby's wails from on a nearby street. Local police are now investigating why the newborn girl was left alone in the woods with only a diaper to spare.

According to initial reports, a person heard the baby's cries and decided to follow the sound; he found the naked baby about ten feet from the sidewalk. The Montgomery County Department of Police transported the newborn to a "local hospital where she is in stable condition."

Medical personnel who attended to the baby girl concluded that she is just a few hours old. On Sunday, investigators located her mother but have not yet determined why the baby was left naked in the woods.

Local authorities told the press that the mother was receiving medical care at a hospital, but did not offer details on her current condition. The police department stated that its Special Investigations Division is handling the investigation.

As of the moment, no additional information will be released at the press pending the probe. The authorities also shared a link to the Maryland Department of Human Resources website to make persons aware of the state's safe-haven law.

The law permits "distressed parents" who are unable or reluctant to care for their infant to surrender guardianship of the baby with no questions asked. Under the bill, a parent or any legal guardian has up to 10 days from birth to anonymously leave a toddler with a qualified adult granted that it's at an assigned Safe Haven location.

The Department of Human Resources said in a comment that "In Maryland, no one ever has to abandon a newborn baby." The committee added that a person that invokes Safe Haven is protected from civil liability or a suit provided that the baby is unharmed and well.