A Nevada community is reeling after a heartbreaking discovery turned into a lifesaving act of heroism.
On Saturday, July 5, a concerned citizen in Sun Valley called 911 after hearing what sounded like a baby crying in a parking lot. That cry led them to a nearby dumpster—where they made a shocking discovery.
“When the individual looked inside the dumpster, they located a newborn infant,” the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said. “Without hesitation, the citizen climbed in and safely retrieved the child.”
The baby was rushed to a local hospital and is expected to recover. “This child is alive today because of the swift and selfless actions of a community member who didn’t hesitate to help,” said Sheriff Darin Balaam. “We’re incredibly grateful for their courage and quick thinking.”
Just two days later, authorities arrested 28-year-old Taylour Dickinson and charged her with attempted murder and child abuse. According to investigators, Dickinson had given birth to the baby in a bathroom between 2 and 3 a.m. and, in a panic, wrapped the newborn in a towel, placed him in a garbage bag, and left him in the dumpster.
Security camera footage reportedly shows a woman dropping a bag into the dumpster at 3:33 a.m.
Detectives testified that Dickinson told them she was overwhelmed, shocked, and unable to care for another child. She allegedly hoped someone would find the baby. “She had no desire to have any more children,” Detective Claire Hoops-Adams said, adding that the family was already struggling financially.
Court records revealed this wasn’t Dickinson’s first disturbing incident. In 2023, she allegedly miscarried and placed the fetus in a trash can, though she was not charged at the time.
A judge has set her bail at $1 million cash-only.
The case has sparked renewed attention on Nevada’s Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to legally surrender an unharmed infant up to 30 days old at hospitals, fire stations, or police departments—no questions asked. When used properly, the law protects both the child and the parent from criminal charges.
“This didn’t have to happen,” said WCSO Detective Cole Brokaw. “There are safe, legal options. No baby should ever be left in danger.”
Sheriff Balaam echoed that message, while praising the quick-thinking citizen whose bravery may have saved the baby’s life: “We cannot undo the trauma, but we will pursue justice for our most vulnerable.”
Is she a democrat???
I’ll bet she is.
Make sure the baby knows who his “mother” and what she did to him.
Should make for an amazing reunion 20 years from now!!!!!
How can a woman carry a baby to full term and then do this