According to the Austin Police Department, a baby girl was discovered alive in a trash can at an apartment in Austin, Texas, this past Saturday. The incident occurred in the 8600 block of North Lamar Boulevard, and the police received a call about the child around 1:35 PM.
Perry Lewis, a resident of the building, was about to leave his home when he heard a neighbor’s cries emanating from the trash can. “He thought it might be a baby,” Lewis recounted, prompting them both to rush over to investigate.
Upon reaching the trash can, they found the baby girl, who was covered in debris and dirt. Lewis noted that she was “covered with blood” and that her umbilical cord was still attached.
Another resident, Lerrrssy Frausto, took immediate action, retrieving the infant and performing chest compressions while they called for help.
“The way she was found in the trash can—upside down, her head facing in—was incredibly distressing for me. I tried to open her eyes, but it was heartbreaking,” Frausto shared. “Her other eye started rolling back, and I was pleading with her to stay awake.”
Officer Aaron Townsend from the APD stated that first responders transported the baby girl to Dell Children’s Medical Center. Fortunately, she is said to be stable, although she remains in the hospital for further evaluation. The Texas Department of Public Safety has indicated that she is healthy and likely to be discharged soon.
Townsend added that investigators are currently trying to locate the mother and anyone else who may have been involved in abandoning the child.
Frausto expressed her deep hope that the baby finds someone who truly loves her, wishing for her to have a caring parent in her life.
She even named the baby “Miracle Angel,” saying, “She is a miracle from God and an angel from the sky. She was crying in the trash can, and that’s how they heard her.”
The police have not yet determined how long the baby had been in the trash before being discovered. An investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to submit tips to the Austin Police Department’s Child Abuse Unit or contact the Crime Stoppers anonymously.
In Texas, there’s a safe haven law that permits the legal surrender of unharmed newborns at hospitals, fire departments, EMS providers, and baby boxes within 60 days of birth.
