A woman from Georgia, Karima Jiwani, has pleaded guilty to charges related to abandoning her newborn daughter in the woods in 2019. Jiwani entered her guilty plea on February 13 after reaching a plea deal with Forsyth County prosecutors. However, details of the agreement have not been made public. In 2023, she was indicted on several serious charges, including attempted murder and first-degree child cruelty. It remains unclear which specific charges she admitted to in court.
Baby Found in the Woods
The case began on June 6, 2019, when a family returning from a trip heard an infant crying near their home in Cumming, Georgia. They followed the sound and found a newborn baby inside a plastic bag, abandoned in a wooded area near Daves Creek Road. The family quickly called 911, and authorities rescued the baby, who was later nicknamed “Baby India.”
Investigators later discovered that Jiwani had given birth to the child in a car earlier that day before allegedly leaving her in the woods.
Family Impact and Legal Consequences
Following Jiwani’s indictment, her husband filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order against her. The order prevents her from contacting him or their three other children, who are now 17, 13, and 9 years old. According to Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman, Jiwani has a history of hiding previous pregnancies. Investigators also revealed that her husband was unaware of the baby’s existence.
Defense Claims Mental Health Issues
Jiwani’s defense attorneys argued that she was struggling with mental health issues at the time of the incident. One of her lawyers, Katie Hingerty, claimed that Jiwani suffered from postpartum psychosis, a condition that can make women feel disconnected from reality and unable to distinguish right from wrong. Hingerty expressed concern that Jiwani could not receive proper medical care while in custody.
However, Forsyth County District Attorney Penny Penn dismissed this argument, stating that Jiwani had confessed to investigators. According to Penn, Jiwani admitted that she hid her pregnancy from everyone and did not seek any medical care before giving birth.
Baby India’s Life Today
Despite the tragic start to her life, Baby India is now healthy and happy. She recently celebrated her fourth birthday and is living with a caring family at an undisclosed location.
