A woman and her dog discovered an abandoned newborn baby, packed in a sealed plastic bag, on the street in the town of Cinisello Balsamo, near Milan, Italy. The baby was suffering from hypothermia but is now recovering.
The discovery was made on Tuesday, October 12, around 4:00 PM, when Sandra, 58, was walking with her dog in the vicinity of her home. According to Sandra herself, who told the newspaper Corriere della Sera, her dog, Marta, aged 14, behaved unusually, insisting on approaching a tree. It was there, under the foliage, that Sandra found a plastic bag containing the infant.
Sandra recalled: 'I saw a plastic bag, one of those we use for shopping. It was tied with two knots and leaned against the trunk of a tree. My dog approached it to sniff it.' She continued: 'I untied the knots, and the first thing I saw was a white cloth stained with blood. I unfolded it, and the baby's head appeared. He started crying. It was astonishing.'
The baby, who weighed almost four kilograms, was completely naked. Therefore, the Italian woman decided to wrap him again in a cloth and cover him with other fabrics to keep him warm. Another woman passing by called emergency services, and an ambulance and police quickly arrived. Subsequently, the infant was taken to a pediatric hospital in Milan, where he continues to receive medical care.
The hospital informed the Italian newspaper that the child 'had mild hypothermia. He was adequately warmed and received light respiratory support. His general health condition is considered satisfactory, and he is under the observation of a team of doctors and nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit, who will monitor him closely.'
In a post on the social network Facebook, the mayor of Cinisello Balsamo, Giacomo Ghillardi, stated that the municipality is 'shocked and concerned' by the situation with the child, but assured that 'he is in close contact with the police' to ascertain the circumstances. He emphasized: 'This is an inhuman act, and thinking about the despair that might be behind this is painful, and it makes us repeat the message: we are here, always, for everyone.'
Guido Bertolaso, the regional social affairs officer, suggested that the boy should be named Leone, which means 'Lion' in Italian, in honor of Pope Leo XIV. According to Italian media, an investigation is currently underway to identify and locate the baby's parents, particularly by analyzing surveillance footage in the surrounding area. Furthermore, the court will have to determine custody of the child and decide on his possible placement in foster care or a children's institution.