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SECTIONS: St. Louis County . City of Duluth . Sports . Lake Superior College . DECC
Duluth Police press release
Below is a brief statement Chief Mike Ceynowa gave regarding the approximately one-week-old infant that was dropped off at Safe Haven Shelter on Tuesday, January 21. Reports in the media do not portray the actual events nor the Duluth Police Department’s investigative intent accurately regarding this case.
Upon responding to a 911 call from the shelter, the initial information we received was that the infant was left outside in negative below-zero temperatures. Our investigation later determined that this information was inaccurate. We learned the infant was left inside the building with staff members. Our main concern has been and will continue to be the safety and well-being of both the infant and the individual who dropped the infant off.
Safe Haven is not being investigated. Our investigation into this incident is focused on identifying the infant, identifying the party who dropped off the infant, their relation to the infant, and aiding in any potential future reunification. We have worked closely with St. Louis County Initial Intervention Unit during the course of this investigation.
While we understand and respect the confidentiality Safe Haven operates under, the investigation did not violate their confidentiality obligations or statutes as the individual was not a client of the shelter. This incident also did not fall under Minnesota’s ‘Safe Haven Law’. This law identifies ‘safe places’ as hospitals, urgent care facilities, and ambulance services – not shelters or resource centers – therefore the identity of the person is not protected information.
The infant is with a foster family and is healthy. If anyone has any information regarding this case, you are encouraged to call 911 as this remains an active and ongoing investigation.
Video Statement: https://youtu.be/HaE00mqIBsU
