Woman Arrested for Allegedly Abandoning Her Newborn in Recycling Bin at Tai Keng Gardens

A 29-year-old Indonesian woman who was suspected for abandoning her newborn was arrested by the police on Wednesday (29 Jul). 

The baby boy was found in a private residential estate near Upper Paya Lebar Road on Monday night.

According to reports, police were alerted to a call for assistance at around 7.45pm at a semi-detached house at 7 Tai Keng Gardens after the baby was discovered at the location. 

Paramedics at the scene attended to the baby who was later brought to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital thereafter via an ambulance. 

Police said that there were no visible injuries on the baby and his condition was stable. 

Indonesian Woman To Be Charged In Court 

“Extensive ground investigations” as well as the help of CCTV footage from residents, allowed the police to identify the 29-year-old Indonesian woman who allegedly abandoned her child.

The woman will be charged in court on Thursday (30 Jul) with exposure and abandonment of a child under 12 years old, under Section 317 of the Penal Code.

If convicted, she could face a jail term of up to seven years, be fined, or both. 

Police were alerted to an incident of a newborn dumped in a recycling bin. | Image source: Google maps

Residents Found Baby in Recycling Bin 

Speaking to the Straits Times on Tuesday, a resident who wishes to be known as Mr Lew said his son-in-law heard a “strange noise” coming from a recycling bin in the private estate.

Mr Lew said the noises were initially thought to have originated from a stray animal such as a cat or a dog. But upon checking on the situation, the 65-year-old soon found a newborn baby instead.

The newborn was found in a blue recycling bin at the private estate. | Image source: Wikipedia

The newborn was wrapped in a towel and placed in a paper bag. He was “crying loudly” when found, Mr Lew who was with his family members after a family dinner then said.

The paper bags “were ripping apart at the bottom” while they tried to carry the baby out. As such, they had to tilt the bin in order to do so.

Mr Lew and his family proceeded to loosen a towel that was covering the baby’s face so that he could breathe. 

Police investigations are currently ongoing. 

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