Newborn Found Dead, Twin Transported To Hospital In Stable Condition
FAIRFIELD (CBS13) — Fairfield police are investigating the death of a newborn that was found abandoned with its twin in the 300 block of Pittman Road.
Police say one of the newborns was dead before officers arrived.
Officers say they responded to the area behind a strip mall on the 300 block of Pittman to check on the welfare of a woman around 4 p.m. Tuesday. An employee inside the business told dispatchers two infants that appeared to be recently birthed were with her on the sidewalk behind the businesses.
Fairfield Police Lt. Jausiah Jacobsen said responding officers located two newborns, not the mother when they arrived on the scene. The infants were on the ground behind the business.
Lt. Jacobsen said both infants appeared to be in distress. Officers started life-saving efforts on one of the babies, and firefighters took over when they arrived on the scene. That child was then transported to an area hospital and is in stable condition.
Jacobsen said officers heard reports that the woman was nearby the scene and located a woman who appeared to have recently given birth on Central Place. The woman was detained and taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Businesses nearby say they have seen the woman, who they described as in her late 30's or 40's and very tanned, around the strip mall for weeks.
Joe Frundl owns Cenario's Pizza on Pittman Road and said a homeless woman has been coming into his restaurant for the last few weeks.
"She comes in to use the restroom. I didn't even know she was pregnant until my employees told me," Frundl said.
He said the pharmacists a few doors down saw the woman acting strangely Tuesday moring.
"When he came in, she was sleeping in front of his place and when she did wake up she kept rubbing her back like she was in a lot of pain," Frundl said.
By mid-afternoon, the woman was reportedly in distress and had moved to the middle of the complex, then disappeared behind the dumpsters. That's when the pharmacist called 911.
The identity of the woman has not been released yet.
The Fairfield Fire Department reminded the community Tuesday that all fire stations, police stations and hospitals are safe surrender sites. The Safely Surrendered Baby Law allows newborns at risk of abandonment with lawful custody to surrender the infant within 72 hours of birth with no questions asked.
Approximately 931 newborns have been saved since January 2001, when the law was first initiated.
The toll-free telephone hotline number provides information and the locations of safe surrender sites DIAL 1.877.BABY.SAF (1-877-222-9723).
City of Fairfield locations:
Station 35 - 600 Lopes Rd, Fairfield, CA 94533
Station 37 - 1200 Kentucky ave, Fairfield, Ca 94533
Station 39 - 1975 Huntington Ct, Fairfield, Ca 94533
Station 40 - 2555 Hilborn Rd, Fairfield, Ca 94534
Station 41 - 3200 N. Tesxas St, Fairfield, Ca 94533
Police Station - 1000 Webster St, Fairfield, Ca 94533
