It was a scene that brought emergency protocols into sharp relief this Tuesday evening in Houston, when citizens flagged down officers after discovering an abandoned newborn baby. According to the Houston Chronicle, the infant was found next to a donation box in a parking lot located in the 8400 block of Winkler Drive.

As per reports, this distressing event occurred around 8:25 p.m., ensuing a prompt response from local authorities. The Houston Police Department confirmed that both the baby and a 28-year-old woman, believed to be the mother, were taken to the hospital. Multiple indicators led authorities to connect the woman with the abandoned child. Meanwhile, an investigation into the incident is still active, with no updates released since Thursday morning.

This incident marks the second of such nature in the Houston area this month, raising concerns and questions about the resources available to new mothers in crisis. Earlier in June, as reported by the KHOU, another newborn was found abandoned on a walking trail in Katy, who has since been placed with a foster family.

In light of these events, advocates from the National Safe Haven Alliance have reiterated the importance of the Baby Moses law. The law allows parents in Texas to surrender an infant at a designated safe haven, such as a hospital or fire station, without fear of prosecution provided the baby is unharmed. "They have 60 days to make that life-altering decision and to surrender their infant without fear of criminal prosecution, as long as the infant is unharmed," said Leah Kipley from the National Safe Haven Alliance in a statement obtained by KHOU.

Residents and workers nearby were shocked by the events. "Thank God people were there to help the baby," stated Yaned Interiano, a local restaurant worker, according to KHOU coverage. The Department of Family and Protective Services is now involved.