CHICAGO (CBS) — Two newborn girls died after they were found in the bathroom of a child care center Thursday evening on the Northwestern Medicine campus in Streeterville.
Police said, shortly before 7 p.m., officers responded to the Bernice Lavin Early Childhood Education Center in the 400 block of East Ontario Street, where someone had found two newborn girls in a bathroom.
According to unconfirmed police dispatch reports, a janitor was called to clean up some blood, when she found two the babies in a trash bag.
The twin girls were taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. A cause of death had not been determined as of Friday afternoon, as more study and investigation is needed, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
The center said in a statement that a staff member “experienced a medical emergency that resulted in the unanticipated delivery of newborn twin babies.”
The child care center is a facility used solely by Northwestern Medicine employees, but Northwestern stressed that the woman who gave birth was not a Northwestern Medicine employee. She is employed by Bright Horizons daycare, which is providing emotional and mental health support to their employees.
A Northwestern spokesperson added in a separate statement that, “no daycare children were involved or impacted by the situation. The Chicago Fire and Police Departments were called. We are working with CPD regarding this incident and [are] unable to comment further at this time.”
A Northwestern spokesperson said he could not comment further, saying the hospital is working with CPD regarding the incident.
The childcare center said they’re offering emotional and mental health support to all employees and their families.
“We ask for support and respect for everyone involved at this time as we grieve together and work to support each other and any ensuing investigation,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Area 3 detectives were investigating. A Police Department spokesperson would not clarify if the probe is a criminal investigation, and would only confirm they are investigating a death.
No one was in custody Friday.
