(WSVN) - Authorities in Florida are hailing a mother and daughter as heroes for saving a newborn.
The baby was found about an hour or so in the cold after she was born, and now authorities are searching for the mother.
At midnight, Saturday, Magdalena Gregorio Ordonez heard what she thought was the cry of a cat, but she would soon find that her theory was wrong.
In the patch of woods behind her Mulberry home, she and her 12-year-old daughter, Eulalia, found a newborn baby on the ground alone, crying out for help, so they called police.
“I was really surprised that they left a poor little girl on the floor,” said Eulalia.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the infant girl, who still had her umbilical cord and placenta attached to her, was left for dead by her mom just an hour or so after her birth.
“It was very cool that evening — in the low 50s,” said Sheriff Grady Judd.
Deputies went door-to-door at this mobile home park where the six-and-a-half-pound girl was found to find the mother, but they were unsuccessful.
“So far, no one has cooperated if they knew anything,” said Judd.
Judd said there are thousands of better ways to surrender a baby.
According to state law, babies 7 days old or younger can be surrendered at any hospital, fire station, or EMS station that has a full-time staff.
“You can literally walk up, hand that baby to a firefighter, and drive off and never disclose who you are, and there’s no criminal liability for that,” said Judd.
As for the baby found here, except for a few bug bites, she’s doing great.
Officials said that wouldn’t have been the case if not for her powerful lungs that got these neighbors’ attention.
“Those people are heroes. True heroes,” said Judd.
Authorities said once the mother is identified, she will likely be charged with child neglect.
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