Wash. man arrested after newborn was found dead in car seat hidden in park bushes

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. (TCD) -- A 37-year-old man was arrested last week after his newborn child was found dead under some bushes in a popular wilderness area.

According to KIRO-TV, Jordan Sorensen allegedly kidnapped the child Friday, Jan. 19, which led to Port Townsend Police conducting an "extensive manhunt." Officials eventually located the child, who was less than 1 month old, deceased at Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park. Port Townsend Police were searching for Sorensen regarding charges of kidnapping, criminal mistreatment, and reckless endangerment because he could not give the child the "basic necessities of life."

Jail records show Sorensen is being held on charges of unlawful disposal of human remains and removal/concealment of a dead body.

KIRO reports the child was born Dec. 25. The Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) reportedly learned the next day that the baby and his mother tested positive for fentanyl. Officials gave Sorensen temporary custody of the child but reportedly said Sorensen needed to submit a clean urine test in order to spend time with the baby alone.

DCYF went to his home Jan. 1, but Sorensen was not there. Three days later, DCYF agents took him to a doctor to get a urine test. He was supposed to take one on Jan. 11 but did not reply to text messages.

According to KIRO, on Tuesday, Jan. 16, the child’s mother contacted DCYF and said there were "big problems" because Sorensen took the child and was hiding from Child Protective Services.

Court documents cited by KIRO say Sorensen told police he fell asleep with the child on his lap, but when he woke up, the baby "was face down between him and the chair with blood coming from his face." That's reportedly when the child died.

He then allegedly put the child in his car seat. The infant was later found "upright in his car seat, tucked into a cove of wild rose bushes and trees."

The boy reportedly had dried blood around his nose and mouth.

KIRO reports Sorensen said he "did not intentionally do this and that he loved the child."

Jefferson County Prosecutor James Kennedy told KCPQ-TV Sorensen has not been charged with manslaughter or murder because officials are still waiting for results from the post-mortem exam.

He said, "Depending on how the case turns out, if there was no intentional, reckless or grossly negligent action that resulted in the death of another, I’m going to have very little in which I can charge an individual with."

Kennedy added, "I have a lot of concerns about how the suspect ended up with the child in the first place."

MORE:

• Father of infant found dead in Port Townsend park said he 'did not intentionally do this' - KIRO
• Jefferson County Jail inmate information
• Port Townsend father accused of hiding infant's dead body in bushes: docs - KCPQ