Sheriff's Deputies Prevent 'Unspeakable Tragedy,' Find 4-Month-Old Baby Left Near Creek

By Amanda Thomason April 8, 2021 at 3:53pm

On Wednesday morning, in Pontiac, Michigan, a 37-year-old woman was acting very suspiciously. She was hiding in bushes, ringing doorbells and eventually made her way to a middle school, where she banged on the doors.

Locals said she was going on about being chased by someone with guns. Cops responded to 911 calls about the woman, arriving shortly after 8:30 a.m.

While the woman didn’t seem to be in her right mind, authorities were able to determine, after talking with her, that she did have a baby — referred to as “Carter” by Supervisor Chris Barnett.

A search was immediately begun. Based on where the woman had wandered, a search grid was created and 13 sheriff’s patrol cars and a K-9 were sent to hunt for the infant.

Officers noticed that the woman had burrs stuck to her pants, so they knew to look in a wooded area. That observation paid off: About 30 minutes after the search began, rescuers spotted the baby, face-down in a wooded area near a creek.

“Thirty minutes after learning the infant was missing, deputies discovered him in the wooded area, cold and wet but breathing,” the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

“Deputies quickly stabilized the child with the help of Orion Township emergency medical personnel. It is unclear how long the infant had been in that location.”

“The baby was in a hypothermic state when he was found in an area near Waldon and Joslyn roads,” the post continued. “Deputies removed the baby’s wet sleeper and wrapped it in warm blankets before he was taken to St. Joseph Mercy for further treatment and observation.”

“The child is expected to be kept overnight at the hospital and is in the care of child protective services.”

Authorities are seeking a warrant to arrest the woman on charges of suspected child abuse, and they believe that prescription drug abuse may have been at work.

The 4-month-old is said to be doing well after receiving care. If officers hadn’t acted swiftly and found the baby boy, however, the story could have ended very differently.

“Thankfully, deputies were able to determine a baby was missing, which triggered an immediate large response and search, and they were able locate the child,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said, according to the post.

“Their quick work avoided what could have been an unspeakable tragedy.”

“We are truly blessed to be served by such amazing, attentive and caring first responders,” Barnett posted on Facebook. “This morning I witnessed firsthand the drama unfold as we learned of a missing four-month-old baby.

“Deputies from Oakland County Sheriff’s Office worked quickly and methodically to bring the case to a quick and remarkable resolution. Neighbors gave great and helpful information. Township staff sprung into action printing maps and heading to the search area to assist deputies. Fire and EMS personnel responded in record time. Our (selfless) sergeant who found baby Carter was quick to give credit to the other deputies.

“On a personal level, this was nothing short of a miracle. The fact that we had two back-to-back unseasonably warm days might be the only reason baby Carter is still with us after laying in the muddy creek edge for several hours.”

Submit a Correction →