Infant found abandoned in box - Ant bitten/hungry, but alive - 5/30/09 Ocala, FL

[Nut44x4]

Infant found abandoned in box

Last Modified: Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 7:41 p.m.
OCALA – A motorist reported finding an abandoned baby girl in a cardboard QVC box beside a hard-top dirt road in northwest Ocala on Saturday.

The infant, who may be week old or younger, was ant-bitten and hungry but otherwise in good health, officials said. She was taken to Munroe Regional Medical Center for observation.

Ocala police were canvassing the area for any witness who might have seen someone dropping off a box at the location, which is near the intersection of Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 24th Avenue, just west of the Lillian Bryant Recreation Complex.

Officers were seeking to identify the baby and her parents.

On Saturday afternoon, the motorist, Wesley Pringle, was leaving his mother’s home on his way to the store when he approached the corner and noticed something like a hand sticking out of a box near the road.

Pringle said he noticed the box was moving around. When he got closer to the spot, he heard crying. Pringle said the box – described by authorities as a 2-by-1-foot QVC box with a yellow blanket inside - was closed. But in the middle, he said, there was a hole big enough for a hand.

“I got my mother and uncle, and they went there and took the baby out,” Pringle said.

Pringle said the infant was wearing a yellow Onesie and a diaper. The baby, he said, looked “real healthy,” and she appeared to be about 2 to 3 weeks old.

“My uncle was singing to the child and she was smiling,” he said.

Officers on scene said they received the call at 5:07 p.m. and arrived at the southeast corner of Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 24th Avenue within a minute.

By then, an ambulance had already taken the baby to Munroe Regional for observation.

The spot were the box was found was wet and was surrounded by leaves. Ants could be seen crawling all around the area. The baby, police said, also had ants on her body.

Ocala Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Wendell Rora said that when rescue crews saw the baby she had ants all over her body. Rora said the child also had ant bites on her body but otherwise appeared to be in good condition.

He said the baby was hungry.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Ocala Police Department at 369-7000, Crime Line at 369-7061 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.

http://www.ocala.com/article/20090530/ARTICLES/905309979/1001/News01?Title=Infant-found-abandoned-in-box

[Nut44x4]

The red X on this map, drawn from the Property Appraiser's Office Web site, indicates the location in northwest Ocala where an infant was found in a cardboard box on Saturday. The nearby park is the Lillian Bryant Recreation Complex. 
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The person left this baby there to die....no other explaination 

[Catbert]

WHY WHY WHY

[califmom]

    God Bless this baby    

I hope and pray she is placed in a loving home!! 

I just cannot understand why and/or how anyone can do something like this... it makes me so flippin' mad.

[Nut44x4]

Update on age/more details>>

The infant, who doctors have determined to be anywhere from 3 days to 7 days old, was ant-bitten and hungry but otherwise in good health, officials said. She was taken to Munroe Regional Medical Center for observation.

Doctors at the hospital say the baby, who is white, weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces, and at this time it’s undetermined as to whether or not the child was born at a hospital or not, police said.

For now, the child has been placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Families.

During their neighborhood canvas, officials learned that someone had seen a gray-colored compact truck with a white topper driven by a white male in the area around 7:30 p.m. Friday. Officials say the driver did not exit the vehicle. Authorities say that person is not a suspect, but they would like to talk with him.

Under Florida statute 827.035 mentioning newborn infants, it states, “It shall not constitute neglect of a child pursuant to s. 827.03 or contributing to the dependency of a child pursuant to s. 827.04, if a parent leaves a newborn infant at a hospital, emergency medical services station, or fire station or brings a newborn infant to an emergency room and expresses an infant to leave the infant and not return, in compliance with s. 383.50."

On Saturday afternoon, the motorist, Wesley Pringle, was leaving his mother’s home on his way to the store when he approached the corner and noticed something like a hand sticking out of a box near the road.

Pringle said he noticed the box was moving around. When he got closer to the spot, he heard crying. Pringle said the box – described by authorities as a 2-by-1-foot QVC box with a yellow blanket inside - was closed. But in the middle, he said, there was a hole big enough for a hand.

“I got my mother and uncle, and they went there and took the baby out,” Pringle said.

Pringle said the infant was wearing a yellow "onesie" and a diaper. The baby, he said, looked “real healthy,” and she appeared to be about 2 to 3 weeks old.

“My uncle was singing to the child and she was smiling,” he said.

Officers on scene said they received the call at 5:07 p.m. and arrived at the southeast corner of Northwest 17th Street and Northwest 24th Avenue within a minute. By then, an ambulance had already taken the baby to Munroe Regional for observation.

The spot were the box was found was wet and was surrounded by leaves. Ants could be seen crawling all around the area. The baby, police said, also had ants on her body.

Ocala Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Wendell Rora said that when rescue crews saw the baby she had ants all over her body. Rora said the child also had ant bites on her body but otherwise appeared to be in good condition.

He said the baby was hungry.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Ocala Police Department at 369-7000, Crime Line at 369-7061 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.

http://www.ocala.com/article/20090530/ARTICLES/905309979/1001/News01?Title=Infant-found-abandoned-in-box#

[Nut44x4]

The family who found an abandoned newborn baby speaks
Updated: Monday, 01 Jun 2009, 12:58 AM EDT

OCALA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) - Residents in Ocala want to know who could be so heartless to dump a newborn baby on the side of a dirt road. The baby girl estimated to be between three and seven days old was found Saturday, May 30, 2009 in a cardboard box.

Police say, Wesley Pringle, the man who found her was driving to the store when he says he saw a little arm reach out of the box. One witness tells FOX 35 the baby still has its umbilical cord attached and when he found the baby, the baby was covered in red ants.

The baby was found in an area where many people dump their trash, but neighbors can't believe someone would dump a precious newborn.

Red ants had been crawling all over her arms and legs. "We picked them off my brother-in-law was praying singing to the baby," said Broderick Kinsler, father of the young man who found the baby.

The baby was taken to an area hospital and is said to be doing fine. Department of Children and Families has custody of the baby girl. Ocala Police want to know more about the baby and her mother.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers the number is 352-368-STOP.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/osceola_news/The_family_who_found_an_aband

[Nut44x4]

VIDEO REPORT
http://www.necn.com/Boston/Nation/2009/06/01/FL-baby-covered-in-ants/1243885385.html

OMG look at her eyes...all red from ant bites?? Or hopefully just from crying. OMG I HATE PEOPLE!!! HOwwwwww / Whyyyyyyyyy!!! 

[Nut44x4]

Abandoned Baby Released From Hospital
Wednesday, June 03, 2009 4:52:37 AM
OCALA -- The newborn baby found in a cardboard box in Marion County is now out of the hospital, and people all across the country are still calling looking to adopt her.

The girl was found over the weekend along a dirt road.

She was released from the hospital Monday night and placed with a licensed foster home.

Aside from several ant bites, she is OK. The bites are healing.

“Something like this is so unnecessary, with all the help out in the community, with adoption,” said Elizabeth Arenas, with the Department of Children and Families. “The baby could have died or suffered harmful illnesses.”

Police are trying to track down the infant's parents, but they said they have no leads.

If you know anything about the baby, call the Ocala Police Department at (352) 369-7061. You may remain anonymous.
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/6/2/who_abandoned_baby_in_box.html?cid=rss

[Nut44x4]

Police Still Looking For Parents Of Abandoned Baby

POSTED: 1:14 pm EDT June 13, 2009

OCALA, Fla. -- Police are still trying to track down the parents of a baby who was found abandoned in a box in Ocala.

It's been about two weeks since a driver reported finding the baby in a cardboard box beside a dirt road. Doctors said the baby was less than a week old when she was found.

Authorities said they've received about a dozen tips in the case so far, but aren't any closer to figuring out the girl's identity.

A Department of Children and Families representative said the baby girl is in good health and isn't up for adoption at this point.


http://www.wesh.com/news/19745038/detail.html

[rebelgirl901]

Thank God that boy found the baby before it was too late.  I will never understand how someone could hurt an innocent baby or just leave a baby on the side of the road like trash.  WTH is wrong with people?  This makes me so angry.  It's a selfless act. 

To whomever did this to that precious gift from GOD:   YOU Will Have To Answer To GOD for what you did.