Pennsylvania

Abandoned Newborn Baby Girl Found on Porch During Heat Wave in Upper Darby

Police said someone dropped the hours-old infant on the porch of a home on the 100 block of Englewood Road

What to Know

  • A newborn baby girl was found on the porch of a home on the 100 block of Englewood Road in Upper Darby around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
  • The baby was taken to the hospital and is doing fine, according to police.
  • If you have any information on the identity of the girl's parents, please call Upper Darby Police at 610-734-7693 or email socialmedia@udpd.

A newborn baby girl was found alone and wrapped in a blanket during dangerously hot temperatures in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

Terrell Phillips told NBC10 he found the hours-old infant on his neighbor's porch on the 100 block of Englewood Road around 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

"I thought it was some sort of animal or something in there at first but when I saw a little arm I walked over and saw the baby," Phillips said.

Phillips immediately called 911 and checked on the child. Temperatures reached the mid-90s in the Upper Darby area by the afternoon.

Police said the girl appeared to have been cleaned up when Phillips found her.

"She was sleeping," Phillips said. "No crying. Very quiet. She was just there. When I picked the baby up and opened the towel up the baby still had the umbilical cord on her."

The baby was taken to Delaware County Hospital where she is doing fine. The owner of the house told police they were outside around 9 a.m. and didn't see the child, meaning the baby may have been alone for a few hours before Phillips found her.

The home where the baby was found is located a half a mile away from the Upper Darby Township Police Department. Under Pennsylvania's Safe Haven Law, a parent may leave a newborn baby in the care of a hospital or with a police officer at a police station without being criminally liable as long as the baby is no older than 28 days and is not harmed.

Police are searching for the child’s mother and said she could face charges of reckless endangerment.

Upper Darby Police also tweeted that they've received several phone calls from people asking for information on how to adopt the baby.

"While we appreciate the outpouring, of support the UDPD is not involved in this process," they wrote. "Please only call with pertinent information that may identify the family of the child."

If you have any information on the mother's identity, please call Upper Darby Police at 610-734-7693 or email socialmedia@udpd.org.

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