Baby found abandoned outside church

From media reports

BILOXI – Biloxi Police said a baby boy was found Saturday afternoon, abandoned outside a church.

An officer on the scene said the baby appeared to be very young, possibly a newborn.

WLOX reported that a woman found the baby in a box outside Biloxi's Bethel Lutheran Church and that he was taken to a local hospital.

Police were searching for the mother, who could be seeking post birth treatment.

Police said Mississippi does have an infant safe haven law. It allows a person to leave a baby up to 3 days old, with an employee at any emergency medical provider, hospital emergency room or a licensed adoption agency.

Media reports said the baby is reportedly doing fine and is now in the custody of the Department of Human Services (DHS).

Steps are being taken to find the tot a home.

DHS Regional Director Theresa Kemp told WLOX, her office has also been flooded with calls from people who want to give the baby a loving home. Kemp said the agency has a list of resource families that are currently licensed to foster or adopt children.

“We will do what we need to do to get a home for the child. I don't think we'll have a problem if it comes to us needing a family for a child,” said Kemp.

Kemp also stressed that according to the state's Safe Haven Law, a church is not a legal place to leave a baby.

“A baby could be left at a medical facility, an emergency room, or an adoption agency. That baby being born 72 hours can be taken,” said Kemp.

Police speculated that the baby, who was found naked, had been left outside the church for several hours before the woman in the neighborhood found him.