5-month-old baby found in Seattle homeless encampment
Jun 21, 2018, 4:22 PM | Updated: 10:43 pm
A 5-month-old was turned over in May to child protective services after being found in an unsanctioned homeless encampment in Seattle, police said Thursday afternoon.
Police said the baby was found the night of May 30, in an unsanctioned encampment in the 900 block of Poplar Place South. The child was reported to officers by an encampment resident concerned for the child’s well-being, police said.
Officers learned residents of a tent at the encampment were reportedly using methamphetamine and the baby living at the camp was not being properly cared for.
The baby was taken to Seattle Children’s Hospital and then turned over to CPS.
A resident of the encampment “facilitated the child being turned over to police,” a Seattle Police Department spokesman said Thursday.
A child neglect investigation is underway.
Seattle city workers and police visited the unsanctioned encampment multiple times before this incident, previously finding hazards from moving vehicles, trash and human waste. Police said officials removed the encampment on June 14 and June 15.
In mid-June, city officials said they had about 400 unauthorized encampments around Seattle.
The city navigation team told KIRO 7 in April that only 37 percent of homeless people they contact accept offers of shelter. The city of Seattle said in April their outreach teams were stretched so thin they averaged removing only two to three per week.
