Appeal to abandoned baby’s mother
A passerby discovered the infant carefully wrapped in tinfoil and placed in a bag beside a bus stop in Clanbrassil Street shortly after midday on Saturday.
It is thought that the mother might have waited nearby until she was sure her tiny son had been found.
Dr Seán Daly held a brief press conference yesterday and assured the infant’s mother she had nothing to fear and would be treated in a sympathetic and caring manner.
Dr Daly said he had concerns about the mother’s physical and psychological health. “We would like to encourage her to contact the hospital at any time and to be assured that she will be cared for,” he said.
The woman was asked to contact the Coombe Hospital at 01-4083200.
Dr Daly said the woman had just had a baby in unusual circumstances.
“We would be concerned that she is physically well and that she is emotionally well. We have the structures here to look after her. We would like her to contact us and she can do that at any time.”
He said the baby weighed 3.2kgs (7.05lbs) when it was found and was now doing fine in the hospital’s neo-natal unit.
Dr Daly said the boy, who was full term when he was born, had not been named by the hospital. “We believe he was found within the first 24 hours of his birth, or very shortly afterwards.”
The baby had been very well looked after, he stressed. “Somebody had obviously taken care to care for him,” he said.
As well as the tinfoil the baby was wearing a babygro and had a little scarf wrapped around him. “He was well wrapped up. Clearly, whoever looked after him was conscious of the fact that he had to be kept warm,” Dr Daly said.
He said the mother could be assured of total confidentiality.
Asked what could happen if the mother decides not to come forward, Dr Daly said that was a matter for the hospital, the health board and the social services. “That would be dealt with in due course,” he added.
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