TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Sheriff’s deputies in Idaho are reportedly raising money for a headstone and a memorial on behalf of an infant girl who was found dead inside a diaper bag along the side of a road near Twin Falls, Idaho early Thursday morning, and a local funeral home and cemetery have responded by offering free services.
MagicValley.com, a news website in Twin Falls, reports the newborn was found along South Blue Lakes Boulevard around 1:30 a.m. Thursday by a deputy with Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office.
“The deputy was just driving on routine patrol and saw the bag on the side of the road,” Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Lori Stewart told MagicValley.com. “He stopped to grab the bag, thinking it would just be a case of found property, and that’s when he discovered the infant.”
A Twin Falls County coroner conducted an autopsy, MagicValley reports, but was unable determine whether the infant, who appeared to be full-term, was born alive or stillborn. A cause of death has not been determined, pending the results of a toxicology report that could take about a month to complete.
According to KMVT in Idaho, Stewart released a statement regarding the death and said deputies gave the child a name and are raising funds for a headstone and memorial.
“As I’m sure you can imagine, the discovery of the deceased child was difficult for the deputies last night. Tonight as the squad gathered for their shift, the baby girl was on all of their minds. They wanted to give her a name more fitting name than Baby Jane Doe. The Deputies chose the name ‘Angel Rose’. They will be raising money for a headstone and memorial for her, something they feel this little angel deserves. I will release information when the fund has been established.”
KMVT reports a local funeral home and a cemetery have stepped forward to offer free services for the child,click here for details.
Utah Rep. Patrice Arent, D-District 36, reacted to the news and included a reminder about a Utah law that allows mothers to drop infants off with employees at any hospital emergency room in Utah without fear of repercussion. For more on the Utah Newborn Safe Haven law, click here.