Fresno Bee Newspaper Carrier Finds Abandoned Newborn On Dark Road

A newspaper carrier in Fresno, California making his rounds early Monday morning discovered a newborn baby girl in the middle of a road.

Aurelio Fuentes Jr., a carrier for The Fresno Bee, told the paper of the “awful, chilling, moment” when he happened upon the infant on a dark street in Madera County as he was delivering papers.

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office said the baby was discovered around 4:30 a.m. on Monday at the 3500 block of Ave. 13  ½ (pictured below) in a statement.

“The baby was found alive, was transported by ambulance to Valley Children’s Hospital for treatment,” the MCSO wrote on its Facebook page. “The infant, an hours-old female, is currently being treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at VCH.”

The sheriff’s office said that they have yet to identify a suspect at this time, though they are being described by witnesses as a Hispanic woman, likely in her early 20s; they also said she was seen leaving the scene in a white SUV.

California has a Safely Surrendered Baby Law on its book in order to avoid such situations.

“The law's intent is to save lives of newborn infants at risk of abandonment by encouraging parents or persons with lawful custody to safely surrender the infant within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked,” the state’s social services department website says.

The 3500 block of Ave. 13 ½, where an abandoned newborn was found in Fresno, California by a local newspaper carrier. Photo: Madera County Sheriff's Office/Facebook

If anyone has information relating to this case that may lead to the identification of this subject, please contact Madera County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 675-7770.