After two years of lockdowns, restrictions, and outbreaks, many are hopeful for a better 2022. There’s the longing for a turn from divisiveness, a turn toward health, unity, and altruism. And while that is certainly a possibility, the news of two abandoned newborn babies being found, one on New Year’s Eve of 2021 and the other on New Year’s Day of 2022, are both painful reminders of our fallen world, as well as opportunities for people to actively involve themselves in unselfishly helping others.
The Discovery of an Abandoned Newborn on New Year’s Eve
In Fairbanks, Alaska, resident, Roxy Lane, was near her house, passing a row of mailboxes when she came upon the abandoned newborn baby boy in a cardboard box with a note. The note read, “Please help me!!” at the top. Then it went on to say, “I was born today on December 31, 2021, 6a.m. I was born 12 weeks premature. My mom was 28 weeks when she had me. My parents and grandparents don’t have food or money to raise me. They NEVER wanted to do this to me. My parents lived on Cormorant St. My mom is so sad to do this. Please take me and find me a LOVING FAMILY. My parents are betting whoever finds me. My name is Teshawn.”
Read the actual letter on this video for yourself:
After finding the abandoned newborn, Roxy Lane posted a photo to Facebook and contacted authorities. The Alaska State Troopers were called around 2.p.m. on Friday, December 31st. At the time, the recorded temperature outside in Fairbanks, Alaska was between zero and negative eight degrees according to weather records. Teshawn was taken to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, and a spokeswoman for the hospital told news outlets that the abandoned newborn was “doing well and very healthy.”
Roxy Lane wrote on social media, “There is always a safer, humane choice to surrender a baby and you will not get in trouble or even have to answer any difficult questions,” referring to a law passed in Alaska in 2008 called the Safe Surrender of Infants Act, which allows parents of newborns younger than 21 days old to surrender their babies to any of several sources, including emergency medical service, law enforcement, fire fighters, nurses, doctors, and other health care workers.
Although Roxy Lane said she wasn’t sure whether the parents knew about the Safe Surrender of Infants Act, she went on to write, “Take the baby to a fire station, or church, or hospital and they will take care of them.”
Read on to find out about the abandoned newborn found on January 1, 2022.