Wednesday May 17, 2023 | 5:00 a.m.
Naked, dirty with red earth, in a white plastic bag out in the open. This is how a baby was found, a few hours after being born, at the land access in front of a gate located on Calle Presidente Arturo M. Illia, in front of one of the entrances to the San Pedro Bus Terminal.
The careful walking of a 23-year-old through an area with a significant circulation of people, added to the rapid joint action of police personnel, saved the life of the child who weighed 2,900 kilograms.
The finding shocked the people of San Pedro and the young man’s actions were crucial for him to stay alive, taking into account the low temperatures that were recorded at nightfall in the town and that food is extremely important in the first hours of life. The event marked and will remain in the memory of this hero, whose daily routine had an outcome never thought of.
The protagonist of the rescue told this morning the details of the event and prefers to keep his personal data confidential, although it may be known that he is a student of the Park Ranger University Technician, which is taught at the San Pedro Higher Institute.
The newborn was taken to the First Police Station of San Pedro.
He said that on Monday at 7:00 p.m., as he does every day, he left the apartment where he lives. After a minute and having gone about 30 meters, she heard a cry that came from a dirt road that leads to a gate that is about five meters from the main street, a place thick with weeds. On that side of the road there are no houses and that caught his attention.
“I went to where the crying came from, which would be in front of the gate of bars, which is practically in front of what is the Bus Terminal. As it was dark I took out my cell phone and turned on the flashlight to illuminate and found the baby in a white plastic bag. From what I could see, he was completely naked and dirty with red earth, ”he indicated at the time of discovery.
In the astonishment of what he had in his hands, for a few moments he was left without knowing what to do, as he expressed it: “The moment I found it I was so surprised that for a brief moment I did not know what to do, but I calmed down and i picked it up Then, while I was holding him, I tried to call 911, but since I didn’t remember the emergency number here, I did the classic call 911,” he said, adding that his phone company “in San Pedro does not have coverage as such. ”. For this reason, he indicated, “I tried to find someone quickly to ask for their phone number.”
In that he returned to a neighbor’s house, where he was attended by the daughter of the owner of the house. While he was explaining what had happened, another neighbor arrived with a car, and he was the one who took them to the First Sectional Police Station, which is three blocks from the place of discovery.
“I go into the police station and quickly explain the situation, they take the baby and take it to the hospital urgently. I stayed there for a few minutes at the police station where they asked me for my information and I explained the situation in a little more detail. Then I was able to retire back to the gym, ”explained the young man.
Regarding what feeling he attributes to knowing that in a certain way he was the one who saved a life, he assured that “the truth is that in part I feel relieved that the baby is safe and sound, because that is what they informed me at the police station; and on the other hand I’m still not completely over the shock, I’m still slightly anxious to have experienced something like that”.
Once the newborn arrived at the hospital, he received the first assistance. The nurses bathed him and staff from the Women’s Police Station, with the collaboration of Acción Social, bought clothes and other basic necessities to keep him warm. Then, with the company of a female staff, he was referred to Samic in Eldorado, where he is in the Neonatology sector in good health. During yesterday morning they performed tests to rule out any disease.
As for the mother, it is suspected that it was a home birth, that is, without any type of assistance, since there is no record at the local hospital. Investigations are carried out to find the mother or a relative of the newborn.
“All the inquiries are being made both from the family part and the part of the criminal case. Because we are talking about the abandonment of a person,” said Florencia Leiva, Undersecretary for Children, Adolescents and Family.
Regarding the procedures that are being carried out, he mentioned that “there is no data on where he was born. Today the priority is that he is in the best possible shape”.
When asked about the state of health of the little boy, who weighed almost 3 kilos, he said: “Thank God he is in very good health, which was the part that worried us the most. He is being given all the attentions”.
In reference to the discharge of the baby, Leiva expressed that “so far we know that his state of health is good, but we still do not know when he will be able to graduate from Neonatology.”
In parallel, he mentioned: “We are trying to find out what happened to get to this situation.”
Alternatives for the baby
Florencia Leiva, director of Childhood and Adolescence, stated: “We always seek that our boys and girls are protected within their family of origin. But if this is not possible, other alternatives are seen”.
Regarding the latter, he said that for the moment the newborn has to remain in Neonatology. And that “the part of Health will decide that, according to all the needs that he may have.”
Likewise, he explained that once the little one can be discharged, there are two possibilities for the baby to be protected.
Among the alternatives, there is the concept of “living together”, that is, a home in which you can stay.
However, there is another choice that is more likely to be appropriate for the baby.
“Being small, there is the possibility that you can access what is called foster care,” he closed.
