On Tuesday, authorities in Forsyth County, Georgia released body camera footage showing the moment police officers discovered a newborn baby girl that had been abandoned.
The footage, posted by CBS46, begins by explaining the conditions surrounding “Baby India’s” discovery.
“On June 6th, 2019, at approximately 10 p.m., a newborn baby girl was discovered tied in a plastic bag and abandoned on the side of Daves Creek Road in Forsyth County, GA,” an introduction to the video reads. The bottom of the video contains a graphic content warning.
CBS46 reported that the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office released photos of the discovery last week but only released the video this week.
The video shows one officer putting on protective gloves as another watches over the baby. “Oh, look at you sweetheart,” the officer says as he tears the plastic bag to get the baby out.
“I’m so sorry,” he says multiple times as officers move to clean up the baby, who still had an umbilical cord attached.
The baby girl cries as officers and paramedics tend to her, wrapping her in blankets.
Pro-life organization Live Action tweeted the video, which you can watch below:
The sheriff’s office asks in the video that anyone who may have information about the abandoned baby call them at (770) 888-7308.
CBS46 reported that the police department is still following leads “in hopes of finding India’s mother.” Police also told the outlet that the baby girl is being cared for by the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services and is doing well.
It was hospital workers who named the baby India, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Homeowner Alan Ragetz and his daughters heard a strange noise outside the night India was discovered. Ragetz told Channe 2 Action News that he thought it might be a wild animal, but his daughters insisted on finding the source.
The family went into the woods with flashlights and found a pile of leaves.
“We went down, pulled it up, there was a poor little baby wrapped in a plastic bag,” Ragetz said. “She was alive, she was crying, so we figured that was a good sign.”
He believed the baby was just a few hours old. Sheriff Ron Freeman told the outlet the baby is now almost seven pounds.
“Somebody knows what happened to this child,” Freeman said. “This is a near full-term or full-term baby.”
Freeman also said police are considering alternatives to the theory that the baby was abandoned by her mother.
“We want to make sure that we understand how this happened,” he told Channel 2. “We want to make sure that we deal with both the criminal investigation, as well as making sure that both the baby and the family that are related are taken care of from the standpoint that they need to be.”
He also noted Georgia’s “safe haven” law that allows unwanted babies to be left at specified facilities without breaking the law.
“Georgia (law) provides you’ve got 30 days to do that, not to leave a baby in the woods,” Freeman said.