Chicago: newborn baby boy found dead in a Salvation Army store’s bathroom in Streamwood
The body of a newborn baby boy who is believed to have been delivered alive and subsequently strangled was found in a trash can at a Salvation Army store bathroom in Streamwood, Chicago.
Police was called to the Salvation Army store after an employee found some blood on the bathroom floor and then the body, which was inside a plastic bag with its umbilical chord still attached.
The placenta was also discovered at the scene.
Police believes the plastic bag was used to strangle the baby boy – who was six pounds, 11 ounces and about 18 inches long.
The baby boy was pronounced dead on the scene, according to a release from Streamwood police.
Salvation Army store officials told police the woman appeared pregnant when she walked into the store on Friday morning and asked a manager to use an employee restroom.
The woman walked out an hour later, they said.
A sketch has been released of the mother who is said to be a Hispanic female between 15 and 25 years old
James Keegan, Streamwood Deputy Chief told NBC Chicago: “She looked distressed [and] disheveled.
“The manager sent a worker to into the store to check on the status of the bathroom, discovered some blood on the floor and then subsequent to that we discovered – the worker discovered – a fetus in the wastepaper basket.
“It wasn’t premature or born with a light weight. It looked like it went through a nine-month gestation.
“The baby was delivered alive and strangled to its death.”
A sketch has been released of the mother who is said to be a Hispanic female between 15 and 25 years old. The woman is said to be between five feet and five feet, four inches tall with long dark hair.
She was last seen wearing a purple hooded sweatshirt and a lime green coat and may have been with another woman and a two-year-old child.
Deputy Chief James Keegan offered the reminder of Illinois’ Safe Haven law, which allows mothers to leave babies 30 days old or younger – no questions asked – at any police station, fire house or hospital.
Anyone with information can contact the Streamwood police investigations division at (630) 736-3700.
A confidential tip line also is available to anonymous callers at (630) 736-3719.