The babies were found dead two days after they were born, according to one local report
Two newborn twins were found dead and placed in a garbage can on Cleveland’s Eastside on Saturday.
Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said the Cleveland Homicide Police Unit tells in a statement that a 16-year-old female, who police believe gave birth to the infants days earlier, was located and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
“Investigators will present the facts of this case to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office,” Ciaccia’s statement says.
According to Ciaccia, the two children were found near the 2800 block of Ludlow Road in Cleveland’s Buckeye Shaker Square on Saturday night.
“I’ve heard that the discovery was made by a landscaper that came over to do the grass,” an unidentified neighbor told WOIO, adding he heard the landscaper found the children while dumping grass clippings in the trash bin.
WKYC reported the children were born on Thursday. Neighbors told the outlet they heard the babies crying late at night but did not think anything of it, other than they thought the infants were waiting to be fed.
“Now that I know why the police are here, it hurts,” one neighbor told WKYC.
Under Ohio law, if parents feel they can’t properly take care of a newborn child, they can drop an infant off at a local “safe haven” with no penalty as long as it’s done within 30 days of the child being born.
These locations include hospitals, fire stations, or police stations, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.