Newborn baby dumped in rubbish pile rescued as police hunt for young mother
A newborn baby dumped in a rubbish pile was rescued as police hunt for the young mother believed to have abandoned her.
Security officer Sasawat Pinthong, 23, was patrolling around the Bangkok Inter Place Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, when he heard a baby crying near a rubbish pile.
He followed the sound before discovering a black plastic bag emitting the high-pitched cries.
The guard opened the container and was shocked to find a live baby girl with her umbilical cord still attached.
He then alerted the Hua Mak district police station at around 1:30 pm local time on August 30.
Police and medics arrived at the scene to give the foundling first aid.
They said the baby had normal vital signs before being taken to Huamark Police Station and later placed in the care of social welfare officials.
Police then examined CCTV footage from four cameras around the area and traced the movements of the baby's mother.
Investigators later arrested the young woman, who reportedly broke down in tears and claimed she had been abandoned by her boyfriend and left penniless in a rented room.
The mother allegedly gave birth alone in her room. She claimed she later dumped her daughter, fearing she would be unable to care for the child.
She reportedly told police: 'I put the baby in the black bag and left her on the rubbish pile hoping someone kind would find her and raise her.'
Police Colonel Prasopchok Iampinit, superintendent of Hua Mak Police Station, said the woman was taken to Ladprao General Hospital for a physical examination.
He said: ‘She had recently given birth by herself in an unhygienic manner so we have to ensure her physical safety under medical supervision.
‘We will coordinate with relevant agencies to conduct a joint questioning and proceed with legal action.'
Under Thai Penal Code Section 306, the mother may be charged with abandonment , which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 60,000 Baht, or both.
