INDIANAPOLIS Police are still looking for answers and asking for the public’s help after the remains of an infant or fetus were found in Brookside Park on the near east side of Indianapolis.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, around 3 p.m. Monday, officers initially received a report that indicated a dead infant was located at 3500 Brookside Parkway S. Dr.

The remains were found by kids at the park.

Playing near a creek, just a few feet behind a small pedestrian bridge, a 12-year-old boy discovered the remains lying dead on the dirt and quickly told his mother what he found.

“It’s just really upsetting,” said Katelyne Sanchez. “It is pretty traumatic.”

Sanchez’s son showed her where he made the horrific discovery before she called 911.

Officers subsequently responded to the scene to conduct a death investigation. The cause of death remains unknown.

“Never in a million years would I expect an actual baby to be lying down there,” said Sanchez.

Police initially believed the remains were those of a baby no more than a day old that appeared to only weigh a few pounds, but details about the potential birth and the child’s mother remain a mystery.

“Detectives are concerned about the well-being of the mother, who may need medical attention,” said IMPD Sgt. Amanda Hibschman.

Coroner doesn’t know if remains are infant or fetus

On Tuesday afternoon, the Marion County Coroner Alfarena McGinty stressed it is unclear if the remains found in Brookside Park are those of a fetus or a recently born infant.

“Multiple forensic tests are underway to establish whether the remains represent a fetus that was not viable outside the womb (or in utero) or an infant that may have been born alive. These determinations are highly complex and require several types of examinations before conclusions can be drawn,” McGinty said.

The Marion County Coroner said the child found in the park appears to be female. The infant or fetus’s race could not be determined.

Preliminary findings indicate no signs of blunt force trauma or external injury that would have directly caused the death, McGinty said.

“At this time, the gestational age of the remains is undetermined again until certain studies can be completed.  However, we do know that the remains were at least 30 weeks gestational, based on visual development at exam,” McGinty added.

Reactions and Resources

“I’m just devastated and deeply saddened by it,” said Linda Znachko with He Knows Your Name.

Znachko works to honor otherwise nameless children. She says this is the first deceased abandoned baby in Indiana since December 2014, when baby Amelia was found in Eagle Creek Park.

“Infant loss is a tragedy for women,” said Znachko. “There are women falling through the cracks, and we’ve got to do a better job getting to them with a message that they are not alone and we have resources to offer them.”

Police also remind Hoosiers of Indiana’s Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to surrender newborn children anonymously and without fear of arrest or prosecution. 

State lawmakers recently expanded the law to allow kids to be dropped off up to 60 days after their birth.

Per the Indiana Department of Child Services’ website, “as long as there are no signs of intentional abuse on the baby, no information is required of the person leaving the baby. Any knowledge of the date of birth, race, parent medical history, child’s health or anything that would be useful to the child’s caregiver would be greatly appreciated.”

Once a baby is surrendered under the Safe Haven Law, Indiana DCS will take the child into custody through Child Protective Services or a Licensed Child Placing Agency. After DCS takes custody of a child, the child is then placed with a caregiver.

Numerous locations, including hospitals, police and fire stations, serve as safe haven sites.

“This incident is incredibly heartbreaking, and we want people to know there are other options,” said Hibschman.

“I guess we just need to spread more awareness because there were definitely a lot more options than just placing the baby on the cold ground,” said Sanchez.

Investigators ask any members of the general public to provide any information they may have regarding the infant’s death or the mother to IMPD. Specifically, police are asking tipsters to direct any info they have to IMPD Child Abuse Detective Robert Burns by calling (317) 765-6096 or sending an email to Robert.Burns@indy.gov.

Those experiencing loss or challenges with their pregnancy can click this link for resources.