Newborn Abandoned In Parking Lot Of IL Historic Site: Police

COLLINSVILLE, IL — Police are seeking the public’s help after an infant was found abandoned in a parking lot in downstate Illinois, according to authorities.

The Collinsville Police Department responded shortly after 8:30 p.m. Sunday to the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, where a 911 caller reported finding a newborn abandoned in a car seat in the parking lot, authorities said.

Officers found the infant sleeping and in apparent good health, according to police, who said the child was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. Police believe the baby, a boy, is Hispanic and about one week to less than one month old. He was wearing an orange and white striped onesie and a small hat, and was in a green and black Evenflo car seat, according to police.

Witnesses saw a male who appeared to be Hispanic driving in the lot between about 7:40 p.m. and 8 p.m. in a small, old, dark blue car that was extremely loud, police said, adding the vehicle was last seen traveling west on Collinsville Road after leaving the lot.

In Illinois, a child aged 30 days or younger may legally be relinquished to a hospital, police station, fire station or emergency medical facility under the state’s safe haven law.

Anyone who recognizes the infant’s description, knows a possibly Hispanic female who was pregnant and no longer has her baby, or can identify the male driving the described vehicle is asked to call police at 618-344-2131 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-8477, according to police, who added tips may be anonymous.