Newspaper delivery man spotted 'bright white thing on the road' — he rushed to call 911 after a closer look
It is always a smart choice to be observant when on the streets, even if it’s your daily route. Aurelio Fuentes Jr., a newspaper delivery man, was on a rural route in California when he spotted something unusual on the road, per PEOPLE. Upon a closer look, he realized that it was something no one ever wanted to find in the middle of nowhere. He quickly took action and dialed 911 — it became a timely and heroic response worth applause. Aurelio noted that he was two hours into his route, per ABC 30 Action News. It was around 4.30 am that day and the temperature was below 30 degrees.
Being a newspaper delivery driver, he didn’t expect to see much apart from the usual on his route. "I see a bright white thing lying on the road. I'm like, ‘Is this an animal?’" he recalled. The 21-year-old gave in to his curiosity and went to check out what it might be. He slowed down and heard cries, per CBS47. He was not prepared for what he saw. "I approached slowly and the next thing you know, I saw it was red. You can see the face. I saw a face. It's a baby,” he remarked. Aurelio was unsure how to respond, it was a visual he never thought he’d come across. According to Yale University, infant abandonment has increased over the last few years.
The dire situations babies are left in often cause infant deaths and other terrifying consequences. Efforts are being made to bring Infant abandonment devices (IADs) across countries to be able to save little lives when parents and guardians cannot look after them. In this story, the baby was just hours old, in a dirty onesie, with the umbilical cord still attached to her. As another driver accompanied Aurelio, the duo got the baby girl into their vehicle and tried to comfort her. They also immediately dialed 911. "It could've been worse because it's pitch black. There could've been coyotes, cars were going by fast down that road," the 21-year-old said.
The newborn was abandoned in a dire state, leaving many to ponder what could have possibly pushed such a rash decision. California Highway Patrol Officer Robert Montano said, “It was a very traumatic scene for everybody involved. It is something you never expect to see.” The newborn was eventually taken to a hospital and treated and the police are on the lookout for the woman who abandoned the child. "It's a lot to take in, it's a lot. In my mind, I just need to get rest and see this baby," Aurelio said. Undersheriff Tyson Pogue with Madera County Sheriff's Office fortunately confirmed, "The baby was cold, but luckily she was discovered early enough that she'll make a full recovery.”
The suspect details were shared by a passerby who mentioned that a woman had approached him minutes before the baby was found, asking whether he could take her baby. This woman had a small, dark blue or grey SUV. Her description was 5’2” tall and 120 pounds, wearing a hoodie-sweatshirt. While the suspect is being hunted down, the responders are glad that the newborn is alive. “You can only imagine the worst. It wasn’t like the baby was left in front of a house. It could have really turned out to be unfortunate,” Montano remarked.