Phoenix PD saves newborn from apartment, mom found dead inside
By KNXV Web Staff
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PHOENIX (KNXV) — Phoenix Police have released body camera footage from a call in May when officers found a newborn clinging to life and her mom dead inside the apartment.
The video shows police kicking down a door to reach the baby and get her to medical care. The young mother’s death is under investigation, but police say there are no signs of foul play.
On May 14, police went to check on a young mother living at an apartment complex near Central Avenue and Illini Street, just north of Broadway Road, in South Phoenix.
“A neighbor who courageously called 911 and let officers know that they saw something suspicious,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Brian Bower. “They realized that their neighbor, they hadn’t heard from them.”
Neighbors tell police that packages had also been gathering outside the young mom’s door.
“The baby’s here,” you can hear one officer say in the video. “The baby’s still alive.”
“We don’t know how many days the child went without the care of the mother,” said Sgt. Bower. “The child was in poor health, extremely dehydrated.”
Police have not identified the woman who died, but family says she’s 31-year-old Jade Hardin. ABC15 was also told the name of her young daughter is Harmony.
Multiple family members told ABC15 they believe she was just weeks old when Jade died.
“I got the worst phone call of my life,” Jade’s sister Rachel Hardin. “Her child’s father, of her first child, got in contact with us.”
The family said many of them live in Dayton, Ohio, but Jade moved away years ago.
ABC15 spoke with the father of Jade’s older son, who described his former wife as very private but loved by their child.
“She was an outstanding person,” Jade’s sister, Timesha Hardin. “She was awesome. She was funny. She got along with everybody.”
Police said when it comes to Jade’s cause of death, there were no signs of foul play.
“It was a very clean apartment, no signs of anything obvious that would indicate or would lead detectives to knowing what the cause of death was,” said Sgt. Bower.
Some people we spoke with are now calling Harmony a “miracle baby”.
“So, to this day, the child is in good health,” said Sgt. Bower. “Department of Child Safety is intimately involved in this investigation.”
Police said DCS will help decide the next steps for Harmony.
Loved ones told ABC15 they are thankful that neighbors cared enough to call.
“Very thankful for the neighbor and whoever you are,” said Timesha. “Thank you so much. We do appreciate it.”
ABC15 saw community members dropping off diapers at the police department, just trying to find some way to help.
The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office is now investigating Jade’s cause of death.
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