Police arrest Orlando woman who they say abandoned newborn

They were searching for Richardson’s newborn or evidence of the baby girl police said she delivered Monday and discarded.

The search was launched on Tuesday when investigators said they were called to the Willow Bend Apartments after someone discovered a possible placenta, umbilical cord and afterbirth in the parking lot. Police said the renewed search effort isn’t based on new information. Homicide detectives concluded that a full-term baby had been born, but there was no sign of the infant.

“What’s shocking to me is that no one actually seen her or even heard her have her baby”, said a man at the Willow Bend Apartments, where the incident occurred.

The woman, identified as 30-year-old Susan Richardson, was later released from the hospital and interviewed by police.

Police said there were no diapers, baby carriages, cribs or any other items in the home that would show Richardson was preparing to take care of a newborn.

Richardson mumbled and then followed a deputy out of the court room.

Search and Rescue of Central Florida was called in and four teams of dogs were used to scour the area for the baby. The current whereabouts of the newborn remain unknown.

Richardson is facing child neglect charges, but WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said that may be hard for prosecutors to prove, since detectives don’t know if the child is alive or dead.