Disney Employees at Loss for Words When Woman Hands Them Newborn
When we hear stories of abandoned newborn babies, our ears often perk up, wondering what on earth led up to a mother deciding to walk away from her baby.
Is a woman simply cruel and heartless in turning her back on her own child, or is she in a place of vulnerability, perhaps feeling hopeless and desperation so intense that she sees no other path?
Like the rest of the world’s messiest problems, newborn abandonment is a complex issue that is not often solved in a nice, tidy manner.
In the wee hours of the morning on Nov. 5, a mother walked into Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in Orlando, Florida, claiming a random stranger had handed her a newborn baby and fled.
Authorities responded to the scene and later determined the mother’s story to be false.
There was no random stranger involved — the mother was carrying her own newborn baby in her arms when she made up the story inside the Disney resort.
At this time, there are no details on why the 32-year-old fabricated the story. We can only speculate as to what gut-wrenching thoughts must have been racing through her head as she held her newborn in her arms.
But thanks to Florida authorities, both mother and baby are being evaluated to figure out what’s in the best interest of both.
According to WFTF-TV, Reedy Creek firefighters took the baby to a nearby hospital to be evaluated.
The baby’s umbilical cord was still attached, firefighters said, and the baby was reported to be in good condition.
Detectives were able to find the baby’s mother and question her, taking her to a nearby facility for further evaluation and treatment.
The mother is facing a child neglect charge, WFTF reported.
A spokeswoman from the Florida Department of Children and Families said the organization is “actively assessing and working with the family,” FOX35 reported.
“The child is safe and receiving medical care,” the spokeswoman added.
Florida does have a Safe Haven law, which permits a parent to drop off a newborn at any fire station or hospital in the state, no questions asked.
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