In a heartwarming development, a baby girl who was abandoned in the woods just one hour after her birth has found a forever family. This remarkable story unfolded nearly a year ago, and as of November 29, the child was officially adopted, as confirmed by Public Information Officer Brian Bruchey of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) in Winter Haven.
The rescue and adoption of this precious baby girl were announced via a Facebook post by PCSO, where they shared the details of her remarkable journey. The baby was discovered on January 28th, at approximately 1:47 in the morning, by PCSO deputies in Mulberry. She was wrapped in a blanket, still attached to the placenta, and the outdoor temperature was in the lower 50s. Polk County Fire Rescue personnel examined her and estimated that she had been born about an hour before being found.
The rescue of the baby was made possible thanks to the quick thinking and compassion of a nearby resident who heard the infant’s cries and immediately called 911. This act of kindness set in motion a series of events that would change the baby’s life forever.
The couple who adopted the child have chosen not to speak with the media at this time but allowed the police to share photos with those who had followed the baby’s story and prayed for her well-being.
Sheriff Grady Judd, in a press conference held on January 29, provided additional details about the circumstances of the baby’s abandonment. Deputies received a call just after 1:45 a.m. reporting what sounded like a baby crying in a wooded area near a mobile home park in Mulberry. Initially, the cries were mistaken for the sounds of cats, but a concerned neighbor eventually identified the cries as those of a baby. She and her husband ventured into the woods and discovered the infant, wrapped in old blankets, on a hill.
Deputies found the baby in outdoor temperatures of the lower 50s, estimating that she had been born just hours before. At that time, Sheriff Judd named her Angel Grace Lnu, with “Lnu” signifying that her last name was unknown.
Efforts to locate the baby’s mother proved unsuccessful, despite extensive investigations that involved questioning neighbors, deploying K-9 units, a bloodhound, a drone, and an aviation unit. Sheriff Judd noted that cases like these are rare in Florida due to the existence of the Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to leave unharmed newborns, no more than a week old, at designated facilities anonymously and without fear of prosecution.
After ten months and one day, the child was officially adopted, bringing a heartwarming conclusion to this extraordinary journey. The Florida Safe Haven Law, designed to prevent newborn abandonment, has been instrumental in ensuring the well-being of the baby and giving her a second chance at a loving family. Despite exhaustive efforts, the mother of this precious child remains unidentified, but her future is now secure with her new forever family.
