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Newborn Found Wrapped in Women's Clothing Behind Grocery Store: Police

A newborn boy was found wrapped in women's clothing behind a grocery store in Danbury, Connecticut, police say.

A man called 911 after finding the newborn late Sunday night behind the Zaytuna Grocery Store at 397 Main St., police said. He'd heard the baby's cries coming from some bushes. 

Danbury Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Meehan, was among the first responders, told NBC Connecticut that the baby was cold when they arrived and still had its umbilical cord attached.

"We took the baby to the ambulance to warm him up," he said. "I clamped the cord while the EMS was clearing his airway." 

"The baby was breathing OK. But the baby was cold because it must have been in the 50s," said Meehan. "He was only wrapped in a couple of rags, basically." 

The baby was checked by EMS and taken to Danbury Hospital, where he was admitted to the neo-natal care unit. 

"I'm not a father, but you could feel the anxiety was present because people just don't abandon babies," said Meehan. 

With the baby secure, Meehan said his team worked on finding who may have left the newborn there.

"I had the guys search the back alleyways with thermal cameras looking for the mother because we didn't know if she was sick or if there was another baby," he said. "We went out of our way to search." 

Neighbor Sandy Gotthardt told NBC Connecticut that a detective told her the baby was only a couple hours old when he was dropped off Sunday night. 

"I just hope whoever it is, they're able to find them and the baby is safe," Gotthardt said.

The owner of Zaytuna told NBC Connecticut the store closes at 10 p.m., and that no one saw or heard anything. He said he was shocked and saddened to hear that a newborn was abandoned outside.

Danbury Police Department's SVU is investigating and trying to locate the mother; they say they're concerned she may need medical treatment or require other services.

"It was a very dangerous situation leaving it where the baby was left," Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour told NBC Connecticut.

Connecticut's Safe Haven Act for Newborns indicates that a parent of an infant 30 days or younger can bring their baby to the nursing staff of an emergency room. For more information on the state's safe haven laws, click here

Anyone with information is asked to call Danbury Police SVU detectives at 203-797-4662.  

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