A baby girl was found abandoned and naked in the middle of woodland.
The infant was discovered by a passer-by, who heard her cries when walking past a wooded area in Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where staff estimated that the bub had been just a few hours old when she was dumped.
The Metro quoted a police spokesperson for the Montgomery County Department of Police, saying, ‘He [the passer-by] went to investigate the sound and found a naked baby approximately ten feet from the sidewalk in the woods.
‘The female newborn was transported to a local hospital where she is in stable condition.’
Police have since located the mother but haven’t revealed why the baby was left alone in the woods.
The spokesperson said the investigation was on going and that the baby’s mum was currently receiving hospital treatment, but didn’t specify what for.
Maryland, and various other states in the US, have a ‘safe haven’ law.
It means a ‘distressed parent’ who is unable to care for a newborn can surrender custody with no questions asked.
They can be surrendered up to ten days after birth at designated areas.