LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Gwinnett County, Ga., police have arrested a man they say left his 5-month-old daughter to die in the woods near his home.
Rayvon Gray, 21, of Lawrenceville, Ga., was being held with bail in the Gwinnett County Jail, where he faced charges of domestic violence battery, reckless conduct and cruelty to children, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Police were called to the house by Gray's mother, who heard her son and the child's mother arguing. Gray's mother, 37, told police she was so frightened that she grabbed a kitchen knife to defend herself.
The 19-year-old mother of the child accused Gray of punching her in the stomach and face during the argument, police said. When police arrived, Gray had already left the house with the infant.
Officers searched the area and found only the baby girl, lying face down in a heavily wooded area.
The child's attire "would likely have resulted in her death as there is an abundance of wildlife in the area and the nighttime temperatures would drop significantly," the police report stated.
"It appeared Rayvon had left his 5-month-old daughter to die out in the woods alone with no one to take care of her," it said.
The infant had been missing for about 30 minutes when police found her. Her mother declined offers for her and the baby to be taken to a hospital.
