Over one hundred people attended a candlelight vigil on Wednesday for a baby found dead in the community of Bowness on Christmas Eve.
The newborn, dubbed Baby Jane, was found near some recycling bins behind a grocery store in a parking lot at the intersection of Bowness Road and 79 St. N.W. just before midnight.
Wednesday’s vigil was held at 7 p.m. near the recycling bins where the baby was found.
Organizer Dayna Bramston said she hopes something positive can come from the event.
“It was heartbreaking hearing about a child passing away in the cold, dark night by themselves.”
“There’s no words to describe it without being in her shoes and knowing her story,” she added. “We can’t really judge.”
Brayden Neufeld is an 11-year-old student who said he was personally touched by the tragedy because he has a baby brother.
“I’m here to say a couple of prayers for the baby that passed away, and I just hope that the mother that did this gets some help and hopefully doesn’t do this in the future.” Neufeld said.
The event was originally scheduled for late December but was rescheduled due to extremely cold weather.
The baby’s cause of death remains undetermined but police believe she was born sometime in the 24 hours before she was abandoned. Autopsy results suggest she may have been alive when she was left, and police said no physical trauma was detected.
Anyone with information on the incident or the identity of the newborn’s mother is asked to call Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or to contact Crime Stoppers.