Investigators from the Riverside Police Department think the infant was born just hours before the mother was left behind and are concerned that she might require medical care.
An eerie photograph shows the hospitalized newborn receiving therapy.
“Finding the mother to protect her health and safety and providing her with any necessary medical care or support are our top priorities,” the police spokeswoman wrote.
The public is being asked to assist detectives in locating anyone who may have been pregnant recently but is currently without a baby.
The investigation’s chief detective, Detective Jessica Iniguez, encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
Authorities stressed that California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Law, which was created expressly to stop risky abandonments, permits parents to lawfully turn over newborns within 72 hours of delivery without asking any questions.
The ordinance, which became permanent in 2006, allows parents to turn over infants at any Riverside County hospital or fire station without worrying about facing legal repercussions.
