'Already gone': Woman finds dead newborn baby on her porch

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) – A Tennessee woman leaving her house last Thursday spotted what she thought was a package on her front porch, but, when she took a closer look, realized it was a baby.

The woman, a critical care nurse, said the newborn, an African American boy, was not wearing any clothes and was not breathing.

"The entire placenta was still connected," she said. "I had some gloves in my car and checked his pulse, but he was already gone."

The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she didn't hear anyone knock on her door and has no idea why the baby was left outside her house.

"I was shocked. I was really frozen in place because you just don't expect to see that on your front door."

Southaven Police aren't saying much about the investigation, but are asking for the public's help identifying the mother and infant.

The nurse's house where the baby was found is not far from a few schools. Neighbors say officers have been talking to teens at the schools and in the neighborhood in an attempt to find the mother.

"I hope she's doing OK. I hope she got some care she needed if she's having some mental trauma. I hope she can get help for that too," said the woman who found the baby.

Southaven Police have also been checking home security cameras in the area.

If you have any information that can help investigators, call the Southaven Police Department at (662)-393-8652 or email tips@southaven.org.