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10th March 2023
12:39pm GMT
A newborn baby was found alive in a bin at a gas station, prompting a search for the mother.
Police in Fullerton, Orange County were called to the Chevron gas station, located in the 900 block of Orangethorpe Avenue, at around 3:30pm after the baby boy was discovered in the bathroom, according to Metro Cities Fire Authority.
The one-hour-old infant had been placed in a bag inside the bin and was found by a member of staff at the petrol station, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Officers immediately began lifesaving measures and the baby was then taken by firefighters to a nearby children's hospital in the city of Orange.
Fullerton Police Department said he is in a critical but stable condition.
Authorities are examining security footage in the search for the mother, whose identity is unknown.
"It's an active investigation. They're working all possible leads to do all they can to solve this issue,' Sergeant Ryan O'Neil from the Fullerton Police Department said.
O'Neil said: "The call for service was a possible newborn child in the bathroom trash can. Upon arrival, officers located a newborn child in the trash can and immediately began life-saving measures.
"Fullerton Fire responded very shortly after and transported the child to a local hospital for further medical care."
It is not known whether the baby's mother had given birth at the gas station.
O'Neil said: "I think that would be a tragic event for anybody who was put in that situation."
"There are Safe Surrender Baby laws that allow parents, guardians or mothers to surrender their child within 72 hours of birth with no questions asked. There are hospitals that are designated as safe surrender along with fire departments," said O'Neil.
The process is legal, confidential and free.
The person has to state that they would like to safely surrender the baby, and will be given matching ID bracelets with the baby in case the person wants to later reclaim the baby.
The person surrendering the baby will also be provided with an optional medical questionnaire.
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