A baby girl "still attached to her placenta" was found abandoned in the woods after a woman said she heard "strange" noises.
The newborn was discovered in Mulberry, Florida, US, on Saturday morning by Magdalena Gregorio Ordonez, who was with her 12-year-old daughter, after she initially thought the noise was cats fighting in the woods.
Ms Ordonez was stunned when she walked over into the woods and found the baby girl wrapped in blankets after she was left dumped outside in the woods.
She immediately called emergency services and the baby was rushed to hospital. Fortunately, the baby only suffered some bug bites and is said to be recovering well.
She was left out in the open for roughly an hour, according to Polk County deputies.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd revealed if the child had died police would have turned the discovery into a murder investigation.
He said: "We don’t know if the child was born in the woods or if the child was taken to the woods after it was born.
“That is still under investigation. But certainly, we saved this person from a homicide charge because certainly if that child laid out there and died, we would be talking about a murder investigation.”
Police said the newborn was said to be of Hispanic descent and weighed just six and a half pounds.
Authorities tried to the find the mother of the child by launching a drone and a bloodhound to try and trace her down.
However, the mum was not found as Polk County Sheriff’s Office pleaded for information on the whereabouts of her parents.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said officers have gone door-to-door to try and find the identity of the parents.
He said: "We have worked throughout the community, and no one claims to know who the mother is.
"So far, no one has cooperated, if they knew anything.
"It was by the grace of God that we found the abandoned baby girl when we did, before exposure to the cold or any animals caused her any harm.
"She was left in an extremely vulnerable condition, but she’s a strong little girl, and it looks like she’s doing great."
Parents in Florida can leave their newborn baby a designated location without facing criminal charges thanks to their Safe Haven Laws.
The law states the child must be handed over to an on-duty member of staff - with rules varying in different states.
A newborn baby in Florida can be surrendered up to seven days after birth.
In addition, there are safe haven laws in all 50 states.
