A baby girl, about a week old, has been found abandoned at the lift landing of a HDB block in Serangoon Central. Her mother has been located as of last night. Scroll down for the full story and more on infant abandonment in Singapore.
Infant abandonment in Singapore during Hari Raya
While Singaporeans were celebrating Hari Raya and National Day, a baby girl was abandoned at a HDB block in Serangoon Central. The infant was found by a passerby at the lift landing of Block 203 Serangoon Central on 8 August, last Thursday, around 2pm. It is believed that the baby is about a week old and seems to be slightly tanned. She was dressed in a white jumper and diapers, wrapped in a blue cloth with prints, as well as a black scarf. It has been reported that the baby was sent to the hospital and that she is "in good health" despite being abandoned.
The police appealed to the public for information on the infant's next-of-kin over the weekend and according to a Straits Times report last night, the mother of the abandoned baby was found. The 28-year-old woman will be assisting the police in the investigation of this case.
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Find out why babies are abandoned in Singapore on the next page.
Why do cases of infant abandonment in Singapore still exist?
Parents might choose to give up their children for a variety of reasons. According to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) website, an average of three infants are abandoned alive each year between 2005 to 2009. Possible reasons for infant abandonment in Singapore include:
- Financial difficulty
- Teenage pregnancies
- Emotional instability
- Unwed pregnancies (single motherhood)
- Lack of social support
- Domestic violence
Singaporean netizens have mixed views about the mother who abandoned the baby. One commented, "The mother must have been confused... she won't [have] waited [for] a week and [made] sure the baby is nicely swaddled, there must have been some difficulties."
Others have called the parents of the abandoned infant "irresponsible" while some had a more objective view of the matter. Miss Yusliena Smith, a Facebook user, wrote, "At least she [didn't] abort or flush [the baby] down the toilet etc. Nobody knows the situation she's in. Just that the way she did it is wrong. There needs to be more awareness about this [and] places where women in these situations can go to discreetly."
RELATED: 15 things a Singaporean single mum should know
Find out where you can get help for pregnancy crises on the next page.
Where to find help instead of abandoning your child
If you need help or if you know of someone who is facing a pregnancy crisis, here are some useful information from MSF: The 24-hour toll-free MUM-TO-BE Helpline at 1800-686-86-23 is available to all expectant mothers who are in distress. Teenagers with pregnancy crises can seek help from BABES via SMS at 8111 3535 or call toll-free at 1800-TEENMOM.
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Watch this for more on the Serangoon Central case of infant abandonment in Singapore: