NC police identify mother of dead bathroom baby

Monday, September 05, 2011

Tags:

henderson county, local/state

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. -- Hendersonville police are investigating the death of a baby whose body was found inside a grocery store bathroom Sunday evening.

Police say an employee found the newborn's body around 9:30 p.m. The newborn's body was wrapped in a blanket inside a trash can.

"The baby was wrapped into a blanket, it was a white blanket with Spanish writing, but also in its hand there was a gold in color cross," said Hendersonville Police Department Detective Bobbie Trooter. "It appeared to be a charm, a necklace and a small charm."

On Monday, Hendersonville police said they questioned a teenage girl who they believe left the dead body of her newborn baby in the women's bathroom at a Bi-Lo grocery store.

A surveillance video shows the girl and her boyfriend enter the store Sunday afternoon and walk toward the bathroom. She was carrying a bag into the bathroom with her.

Click here to watch the video

Capt. David Adams said investigators are waiting for autopsy results before deciding whether to file charges.

Police have not released the mother's name.

Adams said the baby was born alive outside a hospital, but was dead when it was left it in the trash can.

The child was thought to be no more than three days old.

Police are awaiting an autopsy to learn the cause of death.