ATLANTA — Atlanta police are investigating a heartbreaking mystery after someone abandoned a newborn on a doorstep.
Late Tuesday afternoon, police released body camera video of paramedics tending to the baby girl inside an ambulance.
The homeowner who found the baby told Channel 2's Tom Regan that she'd like to adopt her if the mother can't be found.
Freida Burston said she thought her mind was playing tricks when she heard the cries of a baby outside her door in the middle of the night.
“I kept hearing it. It got louder and louder. And I opened up the door and the baby was screaming,” Burston said. “I said, 'This is just crazy.'”
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Doctors believe the baby girl was only five hours old when Burston found her wrapped in a blanket outside her door.
“I reached out and snatched the baby, pulled it inside and put it on the couch and dialed 911. I started crying, telling the ambulance people, ‘Look, this ain’t my baby. Somebody just dropped the baby off,’" Burston said.
She said her 12-year-daughter felt bad for the newborn girl.
“My daughter said 'Mommy,' and she started crying. She said, ‘Mom, who would put their baby outside?' 'cause the animals could have gotten it,’" Burston told Regan.
Police are working to locate the mother. They say whoever left the baby on the doorstep, instead of at a safe location, such as a fire station or hospital, could face neglect charges.
“You cannot leave a child unattended on a porch at someone’s house,” said Officer James White, with the Atlanta Police Department.
Burston’s other daughter, Demita, believes there's was a reason the baby arrived at her mother’s door.
“It could be a blessing in disguise, because I can't have children. If they can't find her parents or a solution, I can adopt her,” Demita Burston said. “It could be someone we know."
The baby, who hasn't been named, is still in the hospital. Regan was told the girl is in good condition.
Anyone who may have information about the identity of the mother is asked to call Atlanta police.
Cox Media Group
