A 9-year-old girl in Lowell, Indiana was shocked by what she found in the grass of her home: an abandoned baby.
Elysia was playing in her backyard on a hot summer morning when she spotted something moving near a creek.
“I just saw pink legs kicking away,” Elysia Laub said. “I knew it was alive and I knew we had something. I could not second guess myself. I knew we had to get help.”
The girl found the newborn crying and naked with the umbilical cord and placenta nearby covered in maggots. Elysia’s mom, Heidi, said the baby was wrapped in a towel but had sunburn.
The two immediately contacted 911 after grabbing the baby.
“I thought it was a robotic doll. Then I ran to the baby and scooped it up and I said, ‘Elysia run to the house and call 911 as soon as possible,'” Heidi said. “I got to the house and we put one of our baby blankets around her.”
Local authorities are investigating in an effort to find the mother of the baby. They said the baby had probably been born a short time before Elysia found her–not a moment too late.
“It’s obvious that this child, from the medical reports, was born just a few hours before it was found. It could have been overnight,” said Sheriff John Buncich. “[It was] a miracle that [Elysia] was out there to find her.”
Police praised Elysia, calling her the guardian angel of the “Miracle Jane Doe” baby. The newborn was treated at a local hospital for sunburn and is expected to make a quick recovery.
Authorities are encouraging local residents with any information to contact their office. They cited Indiana’s Safe Haven Law, which grants mothers the abilities to give up an unwanted baby without repercussions, but would still like to speak with the mother.