Mom arrested after baby found in dumpster at Ga. motel

COLUMBUS, Ga. - A woman has been arrested two days after a baby was found alive in a dumpster at a Columbus motel.

According to officials, 22-year-old Zinnia Hernandez was arrested on Sept. 4 after admitting to giving birth and leaving her baby - alive - in a dumpster.

The baby was discovered on Sept. 2 when someone heard the baby crying around 6:30 p.m. at the Budgetel Inn on Victory Drive.

The baby was taken to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital and is now in the custody of the Division of Family and Children Services to ensure the child’s safety and determine next steps for care.

Hernandez is charged with:

• Reckless conduct
• Abandonment of a dependent child
• Criminal attempt to commit a felony
• Cruelty to children

The discovery highlights ongoing debate about Georgia’s “Safe Place for Newborns Act,” which allows parents to surrender babies 30 days old or younger without facing prosecution.

However, state law requires parents to hand the infant directly to a worker at a hospital, fire station, or police station.

Monica Kelsey, CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, says the law leaves out an option available in other states.

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“My birth mom actually abandoned me two hours after I was born, so it’s very personal for me to make sure women have options,” Kelsey said. “We want them to be able to say, hey, if I use a newborn safety device and I put my baby inside, in a couple of minutes my baby is going to be safe in the arms of a professional.”

House Bill 350, proposed in 2024, would have allowed baby boxes in Georgia. It was withdrawn during the 2025-2026 legislative session.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are climate-controlled devices installed at some fire stations and hospitals. A parent can place a newborn inside, and within minutes, first responders are alerted to retrieve the baby. There are currently boxes in 24 states, including Alabama. Fire Station One in Opelika received one last year.

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Kelsey says her organization has pushed to bring the devices to Georgia but has been blocked by lawmakers.

“It really angers me when a baby is found in a dumpster in a state where we’ve tried to pass legislation,” she said. “We don’t ask states for money. We just ask for permission to work in your state.”

Kelsey noted parents in Georgia are not prohibited from crossing state lines to use a baby box in a neighboring state.