A newborn baby was found dead in a closet early this morning.
The baby was approximately six to seven months into gestation, according to Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant. A cause of death has not yet been determined, Merchant said.
Columbus Police Chief Selvain McQueen said the investigation into the baby’s death is ongoing.
Family members identified the parents of the baby as Ada Lee and Freddie Harris. Lee is autistic according to her aunt, Corean Lee.
Corean Lee said her niece was transported via ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle late Sunday night for vaginal bleeding. Ada Lee had been experiencing pain throughout the day, Corean Lee said.
“Her boyfriend came and got her earlier that day and when she got home she was walking funny and holding her stomach,” she said.
When Ada Lee arrived at the hospital, doctors determined she had recently given birth, Corean Lee said.
McQueen said his officers were contacted and dispatched to 210 Brynes Circle, the home Ada Lee shares with her mother. The baby’s body was discovered at approximately 2:30 a.m., McQueen said.
Corean Lee said the baby was found in Ada Lee’s bedroom closet. Neither McQueen nor Merchant would confirm the location of the body, both citing an ongoing investigation.
As of press time, no charges have been filed in connection with the child’s death.
Sarah Fowler covered crime, education and community related events for The Dispatch.
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