A newborn baby boy was recently found alive after being discarded in a sanitary trash bin in a Malaysian airport.
Videos by Wide Open Country
An employee of the Penang International Airport (PIA) discovered the crying infant in the sanitary bin on Aug. 31. The baby still reportedly had his umbilical cord and placenta attached, leading police to speculate that he was born very shortly before being placed in the trash.
Penang's Southwest district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Anuwal Ab Wahab, told local outlet New Straits Times that the newborn was rushed to Penang Hospital for treatment.
Harrowing footage posted to Instagram shows the moment the crying newborn was recovered from the trash. The video shows a pair of officers removing the infant. The officers, who weren't wearing gloves, seem to hesitate as they unwrap the baby from the trash. They then gingerly lift him to a nearby sink.
"Dear God, protect and keep the baby safe. To the irresponsible adults, may you rot," one onlooker wrote in the comments section of the disturbing video.
"Those who carry the quiet pain of empty arms know exactly how precious a little life is. To see it treated as anything less is deeply heartbreaking," another Instagram user weighed in.
Arrests Made Following Discovery of Newborn in Airport Trash
Police later arrested a 22-year-old Malaysian woman and a 22-year-old Myanmar man after reviewing CCTV footage.
"Investigations led to the arrest of a 22-year-old Myanmar national who works as a security guard," Wahab explained, according to Malaysian outlet The Star. "The man was detained to assist investigations into the case and was also found to have failed to produce valid travel documents."
The two's relationship with the newborn has yet to be revealed.
The female suspect was arrested at the Kompleks Bukit Jambul shopping center. Neither suspect's identity has been released.
An investigation is ongoing, with a forensic team's findings sent to the police's chemistry department to be examined. Meanwhile, the case is reportedly being treated as child abandonment. Under Malaysian law, Section 317 of the Penal Code states that child abandonment applies to any child under 12 under a guardian's care.
"Further investigations are ongoing to determine the involvement of and connection between the individuals detained and the incident," Wahab explained to The Star.
