THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 21, 1996 TAG: 9608210995
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUNE ARNEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 92 lines
Lisa Parker believes in angels.
And she thinks one was guarding the 8- to 10-month-old baby she found beside a residential street near heavily traveled N. Battlefield Boulevard early Tuesday morning.
Parker said that when she saw the baby, the child appeared to be poised to crawl across Essex Street in the Essex Meadows neighborhood.
``I know this is of God,'' Parker said in an interview Tuesday. ``I believe all kids have their angel. . . . Her angel was around.''
Parker was leaving a 7-Eleven on her way to work at the nearby Hardee's in the 1000 block of N. Battlefield Boulevard about 4 a.m. Tuesday when she spotted a tiny figure in her headlights.
``At first I was startled,'' Parker said. ``You don't expect to see something like that at that time of the morning. . . . She was in a crawling position, but she was standing still like she was afraid to move.''
Parker got out of her car and scooped up the cold, whimpering baby. The store clerk called police.
``How could someone do a little girl like this?'' asked Parker, a 26-year-old mother of four boys. ``That's all I want is a little girl.''
By late Tuesday, police knew nothing more about the baby than they did when Parker discovered her.
The baby was suffering from a slight case of hypothermia when she was found. Her body temperature had dropped to 93 degrees, but she was otherwise healthy, authorities said. Hospital officials estimated she may have been outside in the cool morning air for as long as two hours.
When she was found, the baby was wearing white Fila shoes, a navy blue and white polka-dot top and shorts, and tiny green earrings in her pierced ears. She had black and white barrettes and ponytail holders in her hair.
Over her clothes, the child, who is African-American, wore an adult-size T-shirt turned inside out. On the T-shirt is a picture of the Bible and the message: ``When all else fails . . . read the instructions.''
The message seemed ominous.
``You wonder if it's a sign, if they're just reaching out for help, and they hope someone will find her and take care of her,'' said Detective Lori Eanes. ``You just don't understand why someone would leave a child abandoned by the side of the road.''
Someone could have pulled in and dropped the baby off behind the nearby chiropractic clinic without ever being seen by anyone at the 7-Eleven, Eanes said.
``She's very lucky,'' she said. ``Had she gone the wrong way, she could have crawled into Battlefield Boulevard. It was so dark and she was so little, no one would have seen her.''
The baby is being kept in a foster home.
On Tuesday afternoon, ``Baby Doe'' reached out for a stuffed frog and toy bear offered by social service and child protective service workers, and watched the flashing cameras at a news conference at police headquarters. Her smiles revealed two bottom teeth.
Jim Clark, a senior CPS worker, said the baby does not seem to be suffering from abuse, is friendly, comfortable with people, and is well cared-for.
``Our real concern is what happened to the mother,'' Clark said as he held the child during the press conference. ``Usually when you get a child like this, within hours someone is screaming, `Where is my child?' ''
Clark said the last similar case he could remember happened about three years ago when a 4-year-old was found abandoned in a rural part of Chesapeake. Within hours of media broadcasts, a neighbor called to identify the child.
By Tuesday afternoon, Parker was home from work with her own children. She and her husband have sons 11, 7 and 5 years old, and 18 months. When asked if they would consider adopting the baby if it were possible, Parker said she and her husband had talked recently about adopting a little girl but reached no decision.
``I'd have to pray on it,'' she said. ``But it's a real consideration.''
Parker, who lives in Campostella Square, is glad she stopped at the convenience store Tuesday morning.
``I just thank God for leading me to the 7-Eleven to find her,'' Parker said. ``I came back rejoicing that she didn't fall into harm's way.'' MEMO: Chesapeake Police are asking anyone with information about the
baby to call 382-6251, Detective Eanes at 382-8239 or Crime Line at
487-1234. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by STEVE EARLEY, The Virginian-Pilot
Jim Clark of Child Protective Services holds Baby ``Jane Doe,'' who
was found by the side of N. Battlefield Blvd. in Chesapeake. The
baby was suffering from a slight case of hypothermia when she was
found, but she is healthy.
Color photo
Lisa Parker said the baby looked ready to crawl onto the street when
she spotted the child, stopped her car and picked her up. ``I
believe all kids have their angel. . . . Her angel was around.''
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KEYWORDS: ABANDONED CHILD by CNB