A 24-year-old woman is facing preliminary criminal charges after an infant was discovered abandoned Monday night behind the East Thompson Shopping Centre on Indianapolis’ south-east side, police said Wednesday afternoon.
The woman was recognised by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department as Faith Argo. According to police, Argo is homeless and faces a preliminary allegation of neglect of a dependent resulting in significant physical injury, which is a mid-level crime. No formal charges have been filed yet.
Officers responded to the retail complex in the 5400 block of East Thompson Road, near Emerson Avenue, about 7 p.m. Monday to take a report on the child’s safety. Investigators suspect the baby was put behind the building on purpose. Although police claimed Tuesday that the youngster appeared to be unharmed, emergency personnel sent the child to a nearby hospital for evaluation. On Wednesday, IMPD declined to reveal whether the child had been wounded.
This is the second time police have discovered an abandoned newborn in Indianapolis in a month. On July 24, police discovered another infant in a wooded area on the city’s east side.
Tommy Thompson, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer, stated on Tuesday that help is accessible 24 hours a day for families in difficulty. He stated that the government can assist families in difficulty with housing, financial assistance, or protective orders.
Indiana’s Safe Haven Law permits parents to leave a baby anonymously at any hospital, fire station, or police station without fear of prosecution, as long as the kid is not injured. Safe Haven baby boxes are also available in designated emergency areas across the city.
Thompson urged people to use anonymous Safe Haven drop boxes at hospitals and fire stations to avoid a criminal enquiry.
When a baby is surrendered, medical personnel examine the infant before the Indiana Department of Child Services places the kid in protective custody. The department then matches the kid with a caretaker or adoptive family.
Thompson stated that the department seeks to prevent people from abandoning helpless youngsters in risky situations such as woods or behind buildings, which might result in criminal charges.
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