A newborn was found abandoned Thursday in a Fullerton gas station bathroom and was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
The first responders on the scene were Fullerton police officers who arrived at the gas station in the 900 block of West Orangethorpe Avenue.
Officers immediately began “life-saving measures,” according to a statement from Fullerton police. Emergency personnel from the Fullerton Fire Department transported the newborn to the hospital for further medical care. The baby was in critical but stable condition Thursday night.
Fullerton detectives are investigating. Those involved in infant abandonment may be prosecuted.
KCAL-TV reported from the scene that the baby, a boy, was first found by a gas station employee and left within an hour of birth.
Under state law, a parent or someone with legal custody can safely surrender a baby within 72 hours of birth, no questions asked. But there are some rules. The infant must be taken to a public or private hospital, a designated fire station or other safe surrender area designated by the county Board of Supervisors.
Anyone with information can contact Fullerton Police Det. Marcus Saenz at (714) 738-5361. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) 847-6227.