Police Arrest 3 After Baby Found Discarded in Georgia Trash Can
A baby was found alive in a trash can near a Savannah, Georgia hotel, prompting the arrest of three individuals: Dominique Welcome, Chiquita Roche, and Jamal West. Welcome faces charges of cruelty to children, Roche is charged with being involved in the crime and obstructing law enforcement, while West is also charged with cruelty to children and has a history of previous offenses against children. The infant received immediate medical care and is now under the custody of Georgia’s Department of Human Services. Police responded after responding to a hemorrhaging patient and discovered the woman who gave birth. The case highlights legal protections under Georgia’s Safe Place for newborns Act, which allows mothers to safely abandon newborns under certain conditions without facing criminal charges. Authorities praised their swift response and emphasized that there are safer options for distressed mothers.
Three people face charges after a newborn infant was found in a Savannah, Georgia, trash can.
Chatham EMS Director Chuck Kearns said the initial response early Saturday was for a patient who was hemorrhaging, according to WTOC-TV.
First responders realized the woman they were treating had given birth.
Police were notified. They searched a Quality Inn to which first responders had been called and found the baby alive in the trash can.
The child received medical attention immediately.
The baby is being cared for by the Department of Human Services’ Division of Family and Children Services.
Dominique Welcome, 29, Chiquita Roche, 39, and Jamal West, 44, were arrested, according to WYFF-TV.
Welcome faces a charge of cruelty to children.
Roche is charged with being a party to a crime and willful obstruction of law enforcement officers by use of threats or violence.
West faces a charge of cruelty to children.
Three people were arrested after a newborn was found alive in a trash can near a Savannah hotel, police say. The baby is in the care of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services.
Full story at the link in bio. https://t.co/EKEjjpqZ7n
— KOLO8 (@KOLO8) October 13, 2026
“I’m proud of the diligent work of our Southside Precinct officers, and grateful for the swift collaboration of our agencies and partners in protecting one of our most vulnerable citizens,” Chief Lenny Gunther of the Savannah Police Department said.
“Remember that there are always options that don’t endanger a life,” he said.
🚨 GEORGIA: A newborn is safe after police found the baby alive in a trash can near a Savannah hotel on October 10. Three people face charges in the case.
Should infant abandonment carry tougher penalties?
https://t.co/iohfbHdGuz https://t.co/PP3xVaAwiz
— Marco Watts (@MarcoWatts_) October 12, 2026
West has faced charges concerning children before, according to WJCL-TV.
West was charged with third-degree cruelty to children in 2018, and in 2005, he was charged with aggravated child molestation and enticing a child for indecent purposes.
As noted by WYFF, Georgia has a Safe Place for Newborns Act that provides immunity for a mother who leaves her baby at a medical facility, fire station, or police station if the child is no more than 30 days old.
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