Oak Ridge police offering $1,000 reward for information on abandoned 'Baby Wyatt'

Authorities have yet to receive any leads on the body of a newborn boy found along Melton Hill Lake last month.

Abandoned and unidentified, Oak Ridge Police Department officers have deemed him "Baby Wyatt," or "Little Warrior."

"It's been very difficult for our investigators who have worked on this, it's very emotional," Police Chief Robin Smith shared in his second Facebook Live video in as many weeks as part of public plea for help in the case.

"Because all of us are parents. We have children, we have grandchildren. We can relate to this. And the way we see this is, Wyatt is one of our children."

The child was found, with his umbilical cord still attached, March 26 along the Melton Lake Greenway, just north of the Edgemoor Road Bridge.

Samples have been taken for DNA testing, although lab work has been delayed by limited resources amid the priority being given to COVID-19 testing, Smith said.

Standing beside a donated wreath and stuffed animals at a makeshift memorial Thursday, the police chief said several residents also have offered to cover the child's funeral expenses. But his remains cannot be released for burial until he is positively identified.

Smith said he will match the $500 reward the police department is offering for information.

"If you've got information that will help us identify Wyatt, we'll give you $1,000," he said.

In his previous video, Smith also noted that Safe Haven laws in each state allow a parent to relinquish an unharmed newborn at a designated site without the risk of prosecution.

More:Things you didn't know about Safe Haven laws: Every state has one

In Tennessee, the law allows a mother or father to hand over a child up to three days old at any healthcare facility, fire station or police department without fault.

"We don't know Wyatt's mother's story ... and we don't assume to know what happened," Smith said. "But there are safe places you can take a baby. ... It's a much better outcome for the child and you both."