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KANNAPOLIS, NC – When a 21-year-old women brought a newborn baby to CMC Northeast Friday, authorities say she told the staff she found the baby at a McDonald’s. Investigators with the Kannapolis Police Department say she made the story up.
Lieutenant Terry Spry says detectives went to the McDonald’s on South Cannon Boulevard in Kannapolis. They talked to witnesses and checked surveillance video, but there was no sign of the woman or the baby.
“It didn’t take very long to figure out that some of the versions of events of the reporting party were inaccurate,” said Spry.
When detectives questioned the woman at the hospital, she eventually came clean. Police say she admitted that the baby is hers and she made the whole story up. Police say she also admitted she delivered the baby at her home Friday morning.
Spry doesn’t know how the woman delivered the baby herself. Fortunately, police say the baby is safe and undergoing tests at the hospital. The mother is also receiving medical treatment.
“Could we pursue criminal charges against her? Absolutely,” said Spry.
But the department does not plan to press charges.
“Ultimately our concern is the safety of the child, and all indications are at this point that the child is safe,” said Spry.
As for the woman dropping the baby off, Spry points to North Carolina’s Safe Surrender Law. It allows overwhelmed parents to surrender their baby to a responsible adult and walk away.
“At least she didn’t try to hurt the baby or nothing. At least she had common sense enough to take the baby to the hospital. That’s one good thing,” said Woody Clark, a Salisbury resident.
Under North Carolina’s Safe Surrender Law, the mother has seven days to change her mind and take custody of the baby.
Kannapolis Police say the Department of Social Services is getting involved.
