- The body of a boy born prematurely during Hurricane Irma was found days later in his mother’s car
- The mother, who is in her mid-20s, likely gave birth Sunday, September 10, at home when Irma was at its strongest
- Authorities are waiting for the results of a toxicology report to determine whether the infant was born alive and if the mother will face charges
Authorities say a baby born prematurely in Florida during Hurricane Irma was later found dead in its mother’s car.
The Palm Beach Post reports the mother walked into a West Palm Beach hospital for treatment last Thursday.
Hospital staff learned the woman had given birth September 10, the day Irma made landfall in Florida.
A mother walked into a West Palm Beach hospital, pictured, for treatment last Thursday. She was bleeding after giving birth a few days earlier, however the baby has since died
Deputies were sent to check the woman’s vehicle and found the dead infant.
Four days after the delivery, the mother went to St. Mary’s Medical Center because she was bleeding.
Hospital staff then contacted the sheriff’s office’s special victims unit after learning the woman had given birth. She stated that the baby had been born alive.
On a previous visit to the hospital, the baby weighed about 3 pounds after 29 weeks of gestation. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks.
It’s believed the baby was born at the height of Hurricane Irma earlier this month but the woman did not go to a hospital for help until the baby had died
Officials weren’t naming the woman or stating where she was from.
Investigators are working to determine if criminal charges should be filed.
There are allegations that the mother hid the body and didn’t tell anyone about the birth.
The sheriff’s office is now determining whether anyone will face criminal charges in the case after the Medical Examiner’s Office determines the cause of death.
It wasn’t clear if the hurricane was a factor in the infant’s premature birth or death.