PORTLAND, Ore. — A baby girl who was born on a downtown Portland sidewalk last week is "healthy and thriving," the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) tweeted Friday.
On the morning of Wednesday, March 9, officers responded to the corner of Southwest 13th Avenue and Market Street where a woman had just given birth. Police said the woman left the baby on the sidewalk and walked away.
Paramedics were caring for the newborn in an ambulance when officers arrived at the scene. The paramedics told police the baby was doing okay.
Officer Nathan Kirby-Glatkowski told KGW that he and his partner found the mother a short time later.
"We encountered somebody who was experiencing a pretty serious mental crisis," Kirby-Glatkowski said. "We had a lot of concern about her safety and making sure that we got her to a place to get a medical assessment and get her the help that she needed. The sidewalk at 13th and Market is no place to deliver a baby alone."
About a week later, the police bureau had some positive news to share: officers visited the family caring for the child on Thursday and delivered a carload of baby supplies.
The supplies were donated by members of the PPB's Central Precinct, Specialized Resources Division, Behavioral Health Unit and Downtown Clean & Safe.
"We are so happy to report the baby is described as healthy and thriving," PPB tweeted.
First responders want to remind the public about Safe Surrender, a law that allows a birth parent to leave a newborn infant at an authorized facility. Oregon law states that as long as the baby is 30 days or younger, shows no signs of abuse and is handed to someone working at an authorized facility, there will be no legal consequences.
