Ga. deputies arrest woman who allegedly put newborn daughter in plastic bag and left her in woods

CUMMING, Ga. (TCD) — Deputies arrested a 40-year-old woman who allegedly wrapped a newborn child in a plastic bag and left her in the woods in 2019.

Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman announced the arrest in a news conference Friday, May 19, almost exactly four years after the child, known as “Baby India,” was found in the woods late one night. Karima Jiwani was taken into custody on charges of reckless endangerment, cruelty to children, and other counts.

On June 6, 2019, at 10:06 p.m., deputies went to the 1900 block of Daves Creek Road after someone called to report they heard what sounded like a child crying. Deputies arrived and located the child in a wooded area, then transported her to a nearby hospital, where she was recovering. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 10, 2019, update that Baby India was “in good health” and was “being very well taken care of by hospital staff.”

Officials placed her in the Division of Family and Children Services following her release from the hospital. On June 25, 2019, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office released bodycam footage from the incident showing them discovering Baby India inside a brown plastic bag. Her umbilical cord was still attached. In the video, deputies and medics immediately render aid to the infant and wrap her in clothing.

Freeman said investigators “left no stone unturned” over the course of the four years. Detectives worked with Othram Inc. and used advancements in DNA technology to identify Baby India’s father. From there, detectives worked to locate Baby India’s mother, and identified her over the last week. Deputies executed multiple search and arrest warrants around the county, leading to Jiwani’s arrest. Deputy Sheriff Terry Roper, who first found Baby India, was one of the arresting deputies.

According to Freeman, Jiwani likely gave birth inside a car and drove around with Baby India for a long period of time before leaving her in the woods. Jiwani allegedly has a history of concealing pregnancies and surprise births.

Freeman would not share many details about Baby India’s current status, except that she is “happy and healthy.”