HIRAM, Ohio — A baby was found dead in the bathroom of a dorm at Hiram College Friday morning, police confirmed.
The baby was found in a trash bag at 10:48 a.m. by a campus maintenance worker, who immediately contacted Hiram Village police, said police chief Brian Gregory.
Hiram Village police contacted the state Bureau of Criminal Investigations; that agency is assisting in the investigation.
Campus officials are lending full cooperation to authorities, said Jenelle Bayus, Public Relations and Communications Manager for the college.
The college's priority at this time is to ensure the health and safety of the community and any others who may have been involved, Bayus said. The college is offering professional and ministerial counseling to those who are interested.
"We're in a state of shock. We are mourning as a campus community. We're a small community, a very kind and caring one, so this has taken us by surprise and we are doing everything we can to restore a sense of health and good welfare for our students and our faculty and staff," the school's president, Lori Varlotta, said. “We have a clinical psychologist on staff who’s meeting with students who want to do personal counseling. We have a very active chaplain who is providing ministerial services.”
Hiram College leaders said they hope the mother is getting the medical attention she needs.
“She should feel free to come forward to get medical attention and to come forward to anybody at the college for help for counseling—to make sure she gets to the appropriate places in a very timely way,” Varlotta said.
The dorm the baby was found in was placed on lockdown after the discovery.
Varlotta said students seeking help can contact a student support hotline, 1-800-273-8255, or they can send a text to 74174.
