A four-month-old boy has been rescued and is safely in the care of Michigan Child Protective Services after being abandoned in the woods next to a creek on Wednesday morning.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said they found the baby in a hypothermic state and dressed in a wet sleeper, but he did not suffer any life-threatening injuries.
“Thankfully, deputies were able to determine a baby was missing, which triggered an immediate large response and search, and they were able to locate the child,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “Their quick work avoided what could have been an unspeakable tragedy.”
Two people originally called deputies saying that a woman was hiding in the bushes in the area and had been ringing homeowners’ doorbells.
When deputies arrived, the woman disappeared, but staff from a local middle school reported that a frantic woman had been pounding on the doors of the school.
The police found the distraught woman, and she told them that someone was chasing her. She also mentioned to investigators that she had an infant son, and investigators noticed she had burs stuck to her pants, indicating that she was in the woods.
After an intense search that lasted for 30 minutes, authorities found the baby. It is unclear how long the baby had been by the creek alone.
Deputies and emergency personnel treated the baby at the scene by taking off his wet sleeper and wrapping him in blankets. He was transported to a local hospital where he was in good condition but had to stay overnight for observation.
Police are seeking a warrant for the mother’s arrest for suspected child abuse.