Forsyth County

VIDEO: The moment deputies saved newborn wrapped in plastic bag

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office has released body camera footage of the moments deputies rescued an abandoned newborn found in a plastic shopping bag.

Neighbors heard a baby crying and discovered "Baby India" tied up in the bag earlier this month.

Alan Regatz said it was an "act of God" that he and his daughters found the newborn.

The new video shows deputies tearing open the bag to find the newborn with her umbilical cord still attached. The video shows officers frantically wrapping the crying baby in a jacket.

"She's a sweetheart," Deputy Sheriff Terry Roper says on the video. "Oh, look at how precious you are!"

Channel 2's Richard Elliot sat down with Roper's boss, Forsyth Sheriff Ron Freeman, to talk about the video. Freeman said Roper has two kids of his own and knew how to comfort the hours-old baby.

"It doesn’t surprise me to see DFC Roper acting in this way," Freeman said. “He’s a dad. He’s a good deputy and a good man more importantly. He went into dad mode.”

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Freeman said the department released the video to encourage anyone with information on who abandoned the baby to come forward.

While it is a criminal investigation, the mother may not be charged depending on her circumstances.

Freeman thanked everyone who helped find and care for the baby.

“Real heroes of the story, our citizens who found this baby, but just as much so, our deputy sheriffs and first responders who immediately got there and cared for this baby,” Freeman said.

The baby has since been taken into the custody of the Division of Family and Children Services' care and is in good health.

Police are asking anyone with information to call the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office at 770-888-7308. Callers can remain anonymous.