The mother of an abandoned baby girl has been identified and arrested nearly four years after the girl was discovered alive in a plastic bag in a wooded area. Karima Jiwani, 40, was arrested by The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in northern Georgia on Thursday. She faces charges of criminal attempt to commit murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, aggravated assault, and reckless abandonment.
This comes after advanced DNA techniques and familial DNA analysis allowed investigators to finally identify the child’s father around ten months ago.
However, it’s only with the help of DNA evidence collected in the past week, that Jiwani was conclusively identified as the mother of the child, affectionately nicknamed “Baby India,” as reported by CNN.
Baby India was first dumped in Cumming, Georgia, on June 6, 2019, when a local family alerted authorities after hearing what they thought were animal sounds coming from a nearby wooded area, just 40 miles north of Atlanta.
Swiftly responding to the distress call, law enforcement officers stumbled upon a crying newborn bundled up in a yellow plastic bag.
Her umbilical cord was still attached, as captured in body camera footage.
Sheriff Ron Freeman of Forsyth County revealed crucial details during a press conference, disclosing that Baby India was likely born inside a vehicle.
Freeman stated that Jiwani also drove around for quite some time after giving birth, before ultimately deciding to abandon the helpless infant by tying her up in a plastic bag and leaving her in the woods.
It remains uncertain whether Jiwani has secured legal representation to assist her in navigating this legal battle.
Sheriff Freeman stressed that the evidence so far indicates that Jiwani acted alone in abandoning the child.
However, he did mention that Jiwani has been cooperative with detectives throughout the investigation, offering valuable insights into the case.
Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, the motives and statements made by Jiwani to investigators cannot be disclosed at this time.
Sheriff Freeman stated there is no justification for Jiwani’s decision to abandon Baby India without even attempting to leave the child in a safe place, as outlined by Georgia’s “Safe Haven Law.”
This law safeguards mothers from facing criminal charges if they choose to leave their baby with medical facility volunteers or staff, or even at a fire or police station.
The legislation specifically applies to infants aged 30 days or younger, as per guidelines provided by the Georgia Department of Human Services.
Throughout the investigation, the sheriff’s office discovered a pattern in Jiwani’s history, as she had concealed her pregnancies and given birth unexpectedly on previous occasions.
Digital evidence further revealed that she had known about this specific pregnancy for an extended period, going to great lengths to keep it hidden from those around her.
Sheriff Freeman clarified that, as of now, there is no evidence suggesting that the father was aware of either the pregnancy or the subsequent abandonment of the child.
While specific details about Baby India’s current situation were not disclosed by Sheriff Freeman, he assured the public that she is now in a “happy, healthy, and safe place.”
