Newborn found in trash bin recovers, handed over to child welfare committee

A newborn girl found abandoned in a garbage bin earlier this month with an animal bite mark on her leg has been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee after treatment at a hospital here, officials said on Wednesday.

The girl was brought to the emergency ward of the private hospital by the local police after she was found in the trash can.

The newborn, who weighed about 2.1 kg, had an animal bite mark on her right leg, had low oxygen saturation, was hypothermic and wet, the hospital said. She had jaundice and respiratory distress as well for which oxygen support was required, it said. The baby was placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where she was stabilised. Her temperature was maintained with an infant warmer, antibiotics were given along with oxygen support and her sugar level was managed. The baby was anaemic for which treatment was initiated and tests were carried out, said Fortis Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

She was also diagnosed with a patent ductus arteriosus (a persistent opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart) which was treated without surgery, it said.

After staying in the hospital for 11 days, the baby is feeding well and gradually gaining weight (current weight is 2.5kg), the facility said. She was handed over to the representatives from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), New Delhi, in the presence of a Delhi Police team, they said.