Person walking dog finds newborn baby wrapped in plastic bag

SEYMOUR, Ind. -- Police are investigating after a baby was found in a plastic bag a short distance off a road in Seymour, according to authorities.

Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday, a person walking their dog along South Jackson Park Drive noticed a baby in a plastic bag alongside a fence about 20 yards off the roadway.

Police arrived to find that the baby was still alive. Jackson County EMS took the baby to the Schneck Medical Center for treatment.

A preliminary examination determined the baby was healthy, according to WXIN.

An investigation into the situation is ongoing.

SPD reminds the community that a Safe Haven Baby Box is located at Seymour Fire Station 3, at 605 Meadowbrook Drive.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes allow individuals to surrender newborn babies safely. When the box is opened, a 911 call goes out and an alarm is sounded. When the door shuts, the box is locked, and only fire and medical personnel can retrieve the child.

"When we installed the first Safe Haven Baby Box in Indiana in 2016, we were averaging two babies illegally abandoned every year. In 2019 so far, we've had seven Safe Haven surrenders where women surrendered their newborns safely and legally. But I am sad to announce that this is our first abandonment in almost four years in Indiana," Safe Haven Baby Boxes said in a Facebook post.