Yesterday in Sydney’s west, a one-day old newborn baby was left in a drain for five days and he is in critical condition.
His 30-year-old mother has been charged with attempted murder and remains in custody and will appear at Penrith’s Court on Friday.
Paediatrician Andrew McDonald said the baby was “very lucky that it was left where it was”.
He said the drain protected it from predators and the Sydney’s harsh weather conditions.
“Most babies have at least four to seven days worth of fluid from the second they’re born,” Dr McDonald said.
In Germany they have baby hatches, in South Africa they call them baby bins and in the last few years they have begun to appear in Russia, Poland, Japan, Italy, the Czech Republic, Malaysia and Hungary.
In the United States, 49 states have enacted ‘baby safe haven’ laws, allowing mothers to safely hand over their newborns without fear of repercussion. Safe havens include hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and in some states, churches.
In Australia, drain baby is approximately one of ten babies found abandoned each year. The little fighter has sparked talks about hospital hatches being installed in Australia.
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