NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Forsyth County, GA, February 23, 2025: Karima Jiwani, the mother who abandoned her newborn daughter, known as “Baby India,” in a plastic bag in a wooded area in 2019, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 15 years of probation at the Forsyth County Superior Court on February 13. Jiwani entered a negotiated guilty plea to charges of criminal attempt to commit murder and first-degree cruelty to children.
The sentencing follows nearly six years of investigation after Baby India was discovered alive by a local resident who heard her cries coming from a plastic bag. The infant, with her umbilical cord still attached, was found in a wooded area in Forsyth County, Georgia, on June 6, 2019. Authorities later placed her in foster care, and she has since been adopted.
Investigators used advanced genetic genealogy techniques to identify Jiwani in 2023. Authorities revealed that she had a history of concealing pregnancies and claimed that she abandoned the baby due to fear and personal circumstances. The defense cited postpartum depression and psychosis as contributing factors to her actions, though the prosecution argued that her deliberate attempt to leave the baby in a secluded area demonstrated intent to harm.
Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman, who had been involved in the case since the baby’s discovery, stated, “This was a horrific act, but justice has now been served. Baby India is thriving, and we are grateful for the community members and law enforcement who ensured her safety.”
Georgia has Safe Haven laws, which allow parents to legally surrender newborns at designated locations such as hospitals or fire stations without facing criminal charges. Authorities hope this case serves as a reminder of these options to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Jiwani will serve her sentence in a Georgia state prison, with the possibility of parole under strict conditions after completing her prison term.
