Albert Peterson of Houston, Texas was shocked to discover a Newborn Baby girl, abandoned and lying in a flowerbed under a bush and covered with ants, with her umbilical cord still attached.

Newborn baby found in a flowerbed

KSAT reports that Peterson told Channel 2 News he was on his way to work at 5 a.m. from the Bridges of Cypress Creek apartments in Houston, when he heard a sound and initially believed it to be a cat in distress in a bush nearby. However, on closer inspection Peterson discovered a newborn baby girl, coated in dirt and covered in ants – even in her ears - and lying in the flowerbed.

The newborn baby was reportedly less than an hour old, had blood on her and still had the umbilical cord attached. Petersen said the baby had a “lot of strength” and that she was fighting.

Neighbor calls 911

As reported by ABC News, John Baldwin was also leaving for work at the same time as Peterson when the baby was found and recorded the incident on his phone. Baldwin could be heard saying it was crazy and that someone had left their newborn baby out there, while telling Peterson to call 911. Peterson took the baby to his apartment and asked his wife to call the police, while he cleaned up the baby.

Police find blood trail leading to mother's apartment

When Harris County police arrived, they found a trail of blood on the ground, leading to an apartment nearby. The detectives went up to the door and knocked, but the people inside refused to open the door. When the residents finally did open up the door, they said they knew nothing about the newborn baby.

However, as reported by ABC7, a 21-year-old woman, who was also in the apartment, finally told police that she was the mother of the baby.

Investigators believe the woman gave birth to the baby in that apartment and then left the baby outside. The mother of the baby and another person from the apartment were taken into custody by the deputies, with the mother currently undergoing a medical and psychological evaluation.

Child protective services have temporary custody of the newborn baby

Reportedly no charges have yet been filed against the mother, but Child Protective Services say the baby will be taken into their custody until a family member can be found to care for her. However in the meantime the newborn baby was taken for a medical evaluation at Texas Children’s Hospital and despite what she had been through, is in a stable condition. A hearing was to be held on Friday as to who would get custody of the baby.

Police say they could have been looking at a homicide

Harris County Deputy Thomas Gilliland said if it wasn’t for the neighbor, Peterson, they would be looking at a homicide right now, adding it was a miracle the newborn baby was found in time.

Roger Coreas, another resident in the apartments, said he was in shock, adding there is a hospital less than a block away down the road where the mother could have dropped off the baby. According to officials, there is also a fire station near the apartment complex where the baby could have been dropped.

A similar incident was recently reportedly where an eight-month-old baby girl was dumped in a plastic bag by her 17-year-old mother in Elmira, NY. That baby was also rescued by a neighbor.