CUMMING, Ga.— A mother in Georgia has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a guilty plea for attempting to murder her newborn by abandoning her in a wooded area inside a plastic bag. Following her incarceration, 41-year-old Karima Jiwani will face an additional 15 years on probation, authorities said.
The incident, which occurred in June 2019, involved Jiwani leaving her hours-old daughter amidst trees in Forsyth County. The baby, later nicknamed “Baby India” by law enforcement officials, was fortuitously discovered by local teenagers, attracted by her crying. This fortunate rescue, officials noted, was critical to the infant’s survival.
Sheriff Ron Freeman, during a press briefing on the case, condemned the mother’s actions. He described the condition in which the baby was found, emphasizing the harshness of her abandonment. “She was wrapped like refuse and discarded, disregarded in the most harrowing of ways,” Freeman said.
The investigative breakthrough came after nearly four years of persistent efforts and the application of advanced DNA technology by Othram Labs which confirmed Jiwani as the mother. Crucially, the DNA analysis exonerated the child’s father, who was unaware of the pregnancy and the subsequent abandonment.
Following her rescue, Baby India was quickly treated at a local hospital and recovered. She is now thriving at five years old. The arresting deputy used the sheriff’s handcuffs on Jiwani, symbolizing the closure of this distressing circle as he had been one of those who rescued the infant.
Throughout the investigation, patterns began to emerge indicating Jiwani had a history of hidden pregnancies and quiet births, which painted a troubling picture of her past behaviors.
Despite solving the case, the motivations behind Jiwani’s drastic action remain unclear. Sheriff Freeman pointed out that no reasoning could ever justify such an act against a newborn. “Understanding why this happened remains elusive, underscoring the tragedy of the situation,” he commented. At the time of her arrest, Jiwani was living with her other children, which added complexities to her motive and mental state.
The community and childcare advocates continue to monitor Baby India’s progress closely, hoping her resilience continues to shape a brighter future, amidst the dark beginnings of her life. As legal actions against Jiwani conclude, the broader discourse on child neglect and parental responsibility continues, sparked by this alarming event and the miraculous survival of a child left to fend for herself under the most dire circumstances.