A Macon woman faces multiple charges after police say she abandoned her newborn son in a trash bag, leaving the infant outside for hours before he was discovered by chance.
What We Know: Alaynah Marie Rappuhn, 22, was arrested April 1 after being released from Piedmont Macon Emergency Room. According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Rappuhn gave birth around 4:30 a.m. on March 31, wrapped the baby in towels, placed him in a trash bag, and left him on the back porch of her residence on Payton Street.
Hours later, Rappuhn began experiencing excessive bleeding, prompting her boyfriend to take her to the hospital. Investigators report that Rappuhn concealed both her pregnancy and the birth from her boyfriend.
After dropping Rappuhn at the hospital, her boyfriend returned home to gather belongings when he heard noises coming from the trash bag on the porch. Upon investigating, he discovered the infant wrapped in towels and immediately rushed the baby to the hospital.
Authorities note that Rappuhn did not inform medical staff about the birth when she sought treatment for her bleeding.
By The Numbers: The emergency call came in at 1:08 p.m. on March 31, meaning the newborn may have been in the trash bag for approximately eight hours before being discovered.
According to Medical Staff, the infant is in critical but stable condition.
In Context: Georgia’s Safe Haven law allows mothers to leave their newborns, up to 30 days old, with staff at any medical facility, fire station, or police station without facing criminal charges for abandonment.
Take Action: If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis pregnancy, call the National Pregnancy Hotline at 1-800-395-HELP for confidential support and information about local resources. For children’s welfare concerns in Bibb County, contact the Division of Family and Children Services at 478-751-6000.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
