Authorities in Orlando are searching for the parents of a newborn baby boy who was found abandoned in a driveway during one of the hottest days of the year.
The one-week-old infant was discovered strapped in a car seat outside a home on the 5500 block of Lido Street around 7:20 a.m. on Monday, July 28, local outlets WKMG, WOFL, and WFLA reported. Temperatures at the time were already in the 90s.
A neighbor, stunned by the discovery, told reporters: “This is the hottest day of the year. It’s insane,” said Nolan Clark. “From what we know, it might have happened during the night. Hopefully, the mom and baby are okay.”
The baby appeared to be unharmed and was taken to a local hospital, where he is reportedly doing well. Video footage captured the moment a homeowner found the child, gently lifting a blanket to check on him. Bodycam footage later showed a police officer carefully holding the infant.
Orlando police have launched an investigation and are urging residents in the area to check their home surveillance footage for any clues. So far, the baby’s parents remain unidentified.
Authorities used the incident to remind the public about Florida’s Safe Haven law, which allows parents to legally and anonymously surrender an unharmed newborn at designated sites — such as hospitals, fire stations, or emergency medical facilities — without fear of prosecution.
“Parents can safely leave an infant at these locations, no questions asked,” the Orlando Police Department said in a statement to WKMG.
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Safe Haven laws were designed to protect infants from abandonment and harm. Since the first law passed in Texas in 1999, more than 5,000 babies have been safely surrendered nationwide. However, in 2023 alone, 41 babies were illegally abandoned — 28 of whom were found deceased — while 122 were legally handed over under Safe Haven protections, according to the National Safe Haven Alliance.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to call the Orlando Police Department at 321-235-5300 or leave an anonymous tip via Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477) or crimeline.org.
