By TIM UNRUH

Salina Journal

McPHERSON -- The 18-year-old mother of an infant found alive Tuesday in a McPherson trash Dumpster has become the focus of a police investigation into the girl's disappearance.

The 6-week-old baby was discovered shortly after 1 p.m. on some plastic bags in a Dumpster in an alley two blocks from where she lives. The alley is between Maple and Walnut streets and between Hill and Woodside streets, McPherson Police Chief Dennis Shaw said.

Her cries were heard by officers and Emergency Medical Service workers searching the area in northwest McPherson.

"It appeared some care had been taken to place the baby in the Dumpster," Shaw said.

The baby, who appeared to be fine, was taken to Memorial Hospital in McPherson, he said, and the mother was being questioned. The mother's name was not released.

Officers started searching for the infant after her mother called 911 at 10:13 a.m. to report that she had been abducted.

"She told us she put the baby down to sleep in the back bedroom. When she returned to check on the child, it was missing," Shaw said.

The mother, who is believed to be single with no other children, put police and other authorities on the trail of a "close family member" whom she said had taken her child, Shaw said.

The mother provided a description of the vehicle that the family member, a woman, was driving.

"That's who she blamed," Shaw said.

The Kansas Highway Patrol located the family member and the vehicle at the family member's home somewhere near Salina, Shaw said, but no baby was found.

McPherson police then turned their attention back to the mother's neighborhood, and the baby was found.

"Finding a baby two blocks from home would lead me to think that an abduction didn't take place," Shaw said.

At the request of a family member, officers had checked on the baby's welfare at 8:30 Tuesday morning.

"We've done a few welfare checks over the past couple weeks. In each case, the child appeared to be OK," Shaw said.

Tom Bond, a Schwan's truck driver, was home for lunch at 215 W. Hill when he heard sirens.

"I came outside and saw this officer carrying a baby, a tiny baby. He had her all wrapped up in pink. I'm thinking it was a girl. It was quiet," he said.

The Dumpster is across the alley behind his house. The area was cordoned off with crime scene tape. Next to the alley, Bond's three children, one of them an 8-month-old girl, were playing on a trampoline in his back yard.

"It's kind of freaky. You don't expect that in McPherson," Bond said.

The Dumpster is the one used by Marilyn Stauffer. It is located in the alley behind her house at 521 N. Maple.

Officers questioned neighbors during the lunch hour Tuesday.

"A guy came around noon and asked me if I'd seen anybody pushing a stroller," Stauffer said. "I'm just glad I wasn't the one who found it. It's an awful thing."

McPherson detective Mark Brinck removed a stroller from the area early Tuesday afternoon. It was loaded into a police patrol car.

Shaw said the stroller, which belongs to the infant's mother, was used to match tire tracks in the alley near the Dumpster.

"She was seen walking with the stroller 15 to 30 minutes before reporting the abduction," Shaw said.

He said officers had yet to establish a tire match.

The woman had not been charged Tuesday night, Shaw said, but was in protective custody.

After the child is released from the hospital, Shaw said he plans to place the baby into foster care "until we find out what's going on."

It was the end of a stressful day for police, but the chief was happy the baby appeared to be fine.

"I'm going home with a headache," Shaw said.

n Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by e-mail at tunruh@salina.com.

Join the Discussion:

Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.

Post a comment
Your best chance of getting your comment posted:

• No profanity
• Be civil
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Comment:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Read our full use policy.