Newborn baby girl found naked and crying in woods hours after birth

 A newborn baby girl was found naked and abandoned in the woods just hours after being born.

The child was rescued in Silver Springs, Maryland, US, after a man heard her crying at around 5 pm on Friday.

The man discovered the girl around 10ft away from the sidewalk and stayed with her until police officers arrived at the scene.

The Montgomery County Department of Police said the baby was taken to hospital and is now in a stable condition.

Doctors believe the tot was born just hours before being dumped in the woods, Mail Online reports.

Police Sergeant Rebecca Innocenti told WHDH : "We’re concerned about the mother both her physical and emotional well-being.

"So (we) want to make sure the mother is getting the help she needs if she doesn’t have the help that she comes forward and we can get her that help that she needs.”

One neighbour said he felt bad for the person who abandoned the child.

Maryland has a safe haven law which means parents can anonymously give up their child at a hospital or a police station.

A person can face charges if they abandon a baby anywhere other than these designated locations.

The Montgomery County Police Department said: "Under the Safe Haven law, a distressed parent who is unable or unwilling to care for their infant can safely give up custody of their baby, no questions asked.

"A parent (or another adult with the approval of the mother) has up to 10 days from the birth to invoke Safe Haven anonymously and safely leave a baby with a responsible adult at a designated location.

"A person who invokes Safe Haven is immune from civil liability or criminal prosecution provided the child is unharmed."