The Case of the Bi Lo Newborn (discovered deceased in trash) - Hendersonville NC

Hendersonville, NC --

Hendersonville Police say they are interviewing a teenage couple in connection with the dead baby found at a Hendersonville BI-LO.

Police say a woman and man turned themselves in after surveillance pictures were released Tuesday.

Police say the mother told them the baby was already dead when she left the baby at the store.

The newborn girl, only a couple days old, was found dead by an employee in a bathroom stall around 9:00 pm Sunday.

Hendersonville Police have not placed the couple in custody and no charges are expected to come Tuesday night.

Police say they are waiting on the autopsy results. They say even if
the autopsy shows the baby died of natural causes, the mother could
still face charges of concealing the birth or death of a child. Those
are both felony charges.

The surveillance video shows a young girl and man entering the store
around 4:30 pm. The girl is wearing a dress and carring a large
pocketbook she appears to be dragging on the ground.

Several minutes later, the girl enters the female restroom, and later
emerges in different clothes, with the pocketbook over her shoulder.
"Something's not sitting right," says Captain David Adams with Hendersonville Police. "It aroused our suspicions."

The couple then made a purchase at the register, and left the store
minutes later. Investigators are not releasing what they bought.

"It was obvious the baby was not born there," says Adams.

Investigators say the body was wrapped in a white blanket with an
angel and the word "bautista" written in Spanish on it. In English, that
roughly means "baptism". Adams says they also found a gold ring on the baby. They believe it might belong to the mother.

Investigators say the baby was only a few days old, but do not know how long it had been dead. Adams says there were no obvious signs of foul play. "

Joyce Wright, executive director of "Open Arms", a pregnancy crisis center in Hendersonville,
says the whole case is tragic. "It didn't have to end like this," she
says. Wright's center, a Christian based ministry, exists to let women
know the options they have, for an unwanted pregnancy. Wright
says whoever abandoned this infant could have left her at a hospital or
fire station, no questions asked. "To drop her off in a bathroom,
that just breaks my heart," says Wright. "That a young woman came to that place in her life, that she felt she had to leave her baby behind."

The NC Medical Examiner's office is conducting an autopsy. Even if they find the baby died of natural causes, Adams
says, the mother could still be charged. "We want to be able to put a
name on this child, and make sure it's buried. That's the sad part, we
don't even have a name for this child."

If you have information, call Crime Stoppers at (828) 697-3025.



BI-LO released this statement Monday morning:

BI-LO voluntarily closed its Henderson Crossing location in Hendersonville, N.C. the evening of Aug. 28 upon the request of the Henderson County Police Department after a deceased infant was discovered inside the store.

The safety of our customers and teammates is our top priority, and we are cooperating fully with the police department on their investigation. We are also providing on-site counseling services to teammates at the Hendersonville store who are understandably shaken by this tragedy. Because the investigation is ongoing, BI-LO will not comment further.

The store re-opened for business on Aug. 29. Customers and employees
with any questions should feel free to contact BI-LO at 1-800-768-4438.


http://www2.wspa.com/news/2011/aug/30/15/police-interviewing-mother-of-dead-baby-at-henders-ar-2335424/

This sounds so weird. I wonder why the couple disposed of the baby in a store trashcan where the chances are that it could be found. I'm glad it was and I hope they are punished but it makes you wonder what is wrong with people. It's so sad.

One week after a baby's body was found at a Hendersonville Bi-Lo store,
residents gathered Sunday night to remember the child.
A group called No Baby Left Behind held a vigil at Jackson Park,
which is near the store where the baby was found.
Attendees released pink balloons in honor of the baby. They said it is important
for them to show women there are many different options if you cannot keep your baby.
The group also passed out fliers with information about North Carolina's safe-surrender law. That
law allows women to leave a baby, up to 7 days old, with law
enforcement, health care providers or any responsible adult.
"It's not about judging the mother or anything about how bad the situation
was," said Michelle Cortese, an organizer of the event. "It's about
helping spread awareness and being able to let go of the pain that's been brought into this town."
Police said they are awaiting autopsy results before deciding whether the child's mother will be charged.
http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/15396089/vigil-held-for-baby-found-dead-at-bi-lo-store