Newborn baby girl found in dumpster in 'fair condition'

UPDATE: The Austin Police Department has identified the mother of the newborn girl who was found in the dumpster on Wednesday, October 25, 2017. 

The mother's identity is not being released at this time. 

At this time charges have not been filed, however this case is still ongoing and the investigation continues. The Austin Police Department is working closely with Child Protective Services. 

The newborn remains in fair condition. 

Wednesday morning a little before 7, Austin Police responded to a check welfare call on the 9600 block of Middle Fiskville Road.  A newborn baby girl was found in a dumpster at the Mira Vista Apartments.

"The newborn baby girl was transported to Dell Children's Medical Center where she is receiving treatment and according to medical staff is described as in fair condition," said Austin Police officer Destiny Winston. 

Winston says Child Protective Services is running a concurrent investigation. 

Winston says Austin Police don't know how long the child was in the dumpster or when exactly she was born.

"We don't have a suspect at this time. We have not made any arrests at this point," she said.

Wednesday morning the temperature in Austin dropped to the low 40's.

"One of the greatest risks with newborns, even healthy newborns born under great circumstances is hypothermia or cold.  They're using all the energy they have, they have a large body surface area to their overall volume or size.  They get cold very quickly, they burn through their energy," said Captain Rick Rutledge with Austin Travis County EMS.

Both Austin Police and EMS point out there is a "safe haven" law in Texas allowing for infants 60 days or younger to be dropped off at certain locations.

"Those safe places are EMS, fire stations, free standing emergency medical care facilities," Winston said.

"Preferably answer some questions about medical history, name, what you know but we're not going to push for identity, we're not going to detain people...we're not going to try and cause any issues.  We're going to provide good care for that child," Rutledge said.

Fire Station # 23 at Rundberg and Aberdeen is one of the closest stations to the Mira Vista Apartments at just shy of a mile away.  There is a yellow sign out front that lets everyone know it is a "Safe Baby Site."

"This would have been a far better solution for this baby.  Our medics could have initiated that care immediately, the child never would have been in the kind of distress that they were in when we found them.  And it would have provided safety and a more secure future for the baby," Rutledge said. 

Austin Police say charges that could come from this are child endangerment or child abuse but again they say no charges have been filed yet.
               
If you have any information, call the APD Child Abuse Unit or download APD's app and submit a tip.