In a recent development, Cleveland Police have identified the 3-month-old baby who was abandoned and subsequently brought into the Fifth District Police Station early yesterday. Found on the 900 block of Wayside Avenue, the baby was reported to health authorities around 12:30 a.m., according to information obtained by Cleveland19. The individual who discovered the baby has not been named, but was able to provide authorities with crucial information leading to the child's prompt aid.
The police, as stated in a Cleveland.com report, have not released the name of the baby, who is now under the care of the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services. A medical evaluation at the hospital confirmed the baby was in good health with signs of injury or abuse absent. Seeking accountability, Cleveland City Councilman Michael Polensek expressed his concern in a statement to Cleveland19 News, saying, "It's appalling to me that someone would drop off a little baby -- after 12 o'clock at night, put a child out in a yard and just take off."
In a show of community awareness, it was after the police's appeal to the public for help that a family member came forward and identified the infant, according to News 5 Cleveland. Ohio's Safe Haven law allows parents to surrender a newborn under 30 days old safely and anonymously, thus avoiding prosecution, something noted by Polensek in a report by Cleveland19.
While the investigation continues, Polensek told Cleveland19 News he wants the person responsible to be charged criminally, adding, "I hope they certainly do face charges. What could’ve happened to that child? That child could have disappeared and never been seen again." Such statements underscore the gravity Cleveland officials have placed on this case, as they work to unravel the circumstances that led to this child's abandonment.
