INDIANAPOLIS — A newborn baby was discovered abandoned in a wooded area on the far east side of Indianapolis late Friday night, prompting an urgent search by local police for the child’s mother.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a welfare check just before 11:30 p.m. on July 24 near the intersection of Lace Bark Lane and Long Wharf Drive, a residential area close to East 38th Street and North German Church Road. Upon arriving, officers located the infant lying in a tree line near a walking trail at the edge of the neighborhood.
The baby was immediately rushed to Riley Hospital for Children, where medical staff report the newborn is currently in stable condition. While the child appears to be safe for now, investigators say their primary concern has shifted to the wellbeing of the mother, who may still require emergency medical care following the birth.
Detectives have described themselves as “deeply concerned” for her safety and are appealing directly to the public for any information that could help locate her. Authorities have not released further details about how long the baby may have been outside before being found, or what led to the infant being left in that specific location.
Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen something unusual in the area Friday night, or who has any information about the mother, the baby, or the circumstances surrounding the case, to come forward. Tips can be submitted anonymously.
Police also took the opportunity to remind residents of Indiana’s Safe Haven Law, which allows a parent to legally and anonymously surrender a newborn at designated safe locations without facing arrest or criminal charges — an option intended to prevent exactly this kind of situation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477).