PICTURES have been revealed from the scene of a homeless camp in the middle of the woods where a six-month-old baby was found during a triple-digit heatwave.

Authorities removed a baby from a homeless encampment in Nashville, Tennessee on July 2, and now local officials are calling for changes in how the city responds to the camps.

Metro Councilmember Sheri Weiner said a six-month-old baby was found in a homeless encampment during a heatwave in Tennessee

Weiner and a police officer discovered a baby stroller in the woods when documenting the camp and immediately became concerned

Metro police responded to the homeless camp to conduct a welfare check and arrested the baby’s parents on outstanding warrants, according to WZTV.

Metro Councilmember Sheri Weiner joined Metro Officer Ben Cantrell through the heat index of 105°F along a trail of trash and debris at a Metro-owned property near a Home Depot.

The two were visiting the encampment on June 25 to document the conditions when they discovered signs of a child.

“We see a stroller in the woods,” Weiner told WZTV.

“I stopped and looked at him and said, ‘Do you think there’s a baby down here?’ Then we went farther, and there was a changing table.”

Images from Weiner show several sleeping areas set up, with trash scattered around the camp.

A black stroller was seen in the woods in addition to a small gray changing table with a padded cloth cushion.

The pair didn’t find anyone around that day, but Cantrell later received a tip about a baby living in the camp and returned with more officers.

When Weiner arrived on July 2, she said she held the baby for three hours.

“He was hot. He was wet. He was sweating. His little hair was wet.

“Once I got a bottle in him and got him cooled down, he went right to sleep.”

She added that the six-month-old appeared to have several bug bites but was unharmed.

A changing table was also found by Weiner

A tent, trash, clothes and a chair were among items found at the camp

The baby has since been placed in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

Weiner has plans to try and shut down the encampment while ensuring those who are living there find other housing.

Weiner said since the discovery she has begun working with fellow Metro Council members, the Office of Homeless Services and the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office to determine what current policies allow officials to intervene when children are found in homeless encampments.

The councilwoman also wants the city to consider using more methods of outreach to identify families in the camps while continuing to help other residents with their housing needs.

“If we don’t get people who care in there to do something, then this problem’s going to exacerbate,” she said.

“We’ve got to have the tools at our disposal that can really help make a difference.”

The child’s father, Donovan Beals, 27, allegedly tried to flee the scene after officers rescued the baby.

Beals allegedly jumped through the window of a tent before officers deployed a Taser and pepper spray to subdue him and place him in custody before taking him to the hospital.

He was arrested on five outstanding charges of failure to appear and was charged with resisting arrest and evading police.

Crystal Cramer, 41, the mother of the baby, was taken into custody on outstanding warrants and was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, probation violation, amended probation violation and failure to appear.

Neither parent has been charged with child endangerment or child abuse in connection with the six-month-old.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Weiner for comment.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16672248/baby-found-homeless-encampment-heatwave-tennessee-stroller-changing-table/