By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
The body of a newborn baby girl was found in a storage bin outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Saturday morning.
According to WRAL.com, Planned Parenthood staff found the baby in a storage bin outside their facility on Saturday morning. The body was that of a newborn while female child and the cause of death has not yet been determined. An autopsy will be performed at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.
Winston-Salem Police Captain David Clayton said police are still trying to determine the identity of the child and the mother, where it was born, and if the child was alive at the time of birth. Clayton refused to comment on whether there were any bruises on the baby, saying they have not yet found any evidence of foul play and are handling the case as a death investigation.
“This morning our Planned Parenthood staff found an unidentified storage bin outside the health center and immediately called police,” said Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Melissa Reed in an e-mail to WRAL. “We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. Our hearts and prayers go out to all involved in this tragic situation.”
Medical personnel in the area are being asked to contact police if a patient comes in with symptoms of having recently given birth.
“The health and well being of the mother of the child is also a concern,” police said in a statement. “Anyone, family members, friends or acquaintances with information about the identity of the mother of the deceased infant is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800.”
Police are also reminding the public that of North Carolina’s Infant Abandonment Act, which allows a parent to voluntarily deliver a child less than seven days old to a health care provider without fear of criminal prosecution.
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