The car seat and outfit the newborn was found in
Cahokia Heights Police
A newborn child was found alone at Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site Sunday evening according to the Collinsville Police Department, with no family coming forward to claim him.
Detective Joshua Fields says the child was found by a witness who upon returning to their car found the child alone in the car seat pictured above, in the parking lot next to their car.
Fields says they do not believe the child was left by mistake.
"Based on some of the initial witness statements that had seen what we believe to be the vehicle the child was in earlier, it does not appear at this time the child was accidentally left behind."
The boy was checked by EMS and at a hospital and was determined to be good health. He is estimated to be between one and three weeks old.
The witnesses describe a Hispanic man driving around the parking lot in an older blue car half an hour before 911 was called for the child being found. The child is also Hispanic.
Fields says they are searching for the family for two main reasons.
"To make sure that the family of the child is safe... there is a criminal investigation that goes along with this."
Fields says the parents could face child abandonment or endangerment charges.
Illinois is a safe haven state, with laws that decriminalize leaving a child at designated locations such as a fire house, hospital or police department.
"We wouldn't be doing an investigation as we are now," if the child was left in one of those locations instead of Cahokia Mounds says Fields.
The child is currently in foster care according to Fields. Anyone with information about the child or their family is urged to call the Collinsville Police Department at 618-344-2131 and ask to speak with Detective Joshua Fields.
