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Baby on beach arrest: Police say woman who found child is mom

Posted at 10:47 PM, Apr 30, 2013
and last updated 2013-04-30 22:57:51-04

HONOLULU, Hawaii  (WTVR) -- The woman who said she discovered a newborn baby -- literally just hours old -- abandoned on the sand on a Hawaii beach was arrested Tuesday.

Police said 21-year-old Keala Simeona of Honolulu was the baby's mother -- and was later arrested for filing a false police report. Officials also said Simeona is not facing charges of abandonment or neglect at this time.

Police said the a woman reported hearing screams on the beach and 15 minutes later, she heard a baby crying. She found a newborn baby near the water's edge, and no one else in sight.

She rushed the girl to a hospital, where's she's said to be doing well and drinking formula.

The Department of Human Services says it appears the baby was abandoned immediately after birth.

Earlier, a man in his van at the beach also heard someone in distress, and grabbed his flashlight to check it out.

"I saw a young female sitting in the water there at the water's edge, and I asked if the screams were coming from her and she said yes and I said 'are you all right, do you need help?'" witness Vincent Vanaski told reporters.

He said the woman told him that she did not need help and had cut her foot.