One month-old baby found in bag outside retired health officer’s home

By Sajeewa Kottage and Priyani Mangalika

A month-old baby girl abandoned by her mother was found in a bag yesterday in the Konwewa area, Ipalogama.   

The infant had been left on a chair in front of the house of retired family health officer Indrani Anula. She said she discovered the bag around 6.00 a.m. when she opened her front door and noticed it moving. On unzipping it, she found the child inside, along with a clinic chart showing the baby had been born about a month ago.   

The baby was rushed to the Nikaweratiya Base Hospital, where doctors confirmed she was in good condition. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.   

‘‘I am an experienced family health officer who retired about three years ago. I realized that the infant was underweight. I checked the bag to find all requisites of the child including the feeding bottle, the clothes and a packet of milk powder. However, the mother’s name and the place of birth had been erased in the chart. Later I informed police,” she said.

 OIC Children and Women’s Bureau IP Apeksha is conducting further investigations on the instructions of HQI Maho Police A.A.P.A. Kulatunga to trace the whereabouts of the mother.