Police in eastern Kentucky are looking for the parents of a child found abandoned on the steps of a church.

The one to two day old infant was dropped off at the Catlettsburg First Church of the Nazarene.

Someone called 911 to report the baby being on the steps.

Police say had it not been for that call the infant probably would not have survived the warm weather.

The child's mother could face charges.

AP Story

CATLETTSBURG, Ky. (AP) - A newborn baby was abandoned on the steps on an eastern Kentucky church and a search continued for the mother, police said.

The infant was found on the steps of the Catlettsburg First Church of the Nazarene on Tuesday evening, Catlettsburg Police Chief Mark Plummer said. The boy, who was 1 or 2 days old, was taken to a local hospital and appeared to be doing well, Plummer said.

Authorities were alerted to the child through an anonymous 911 phone call, Plummer said.

The mother could face criminal charges since the child was left on the steps of an empty church in 90-degree-plus heat, Plummer said.

A state law that took effect in 2002 generally allows parents or people acting on their behalf to anonymously drop off newborns they cannot care for at selected "safe" locations, including hospitals or with EMS personnel, police officers or firefighters, without fear of criminal prosecution.

The goal of the law was to eliminate incidents of newborns being left in trash cans, public restrooms or other unsafe locations.

--- Information from: The Independent, www.dailyindependent.com

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