A family has recalled the shocking moment they found a newborn abandoned on their back patio as a desperate search continues for the baby girl’s mother.
Police hold grave concerns for the mum who left the newborn in a complete stranger’s backyard at Blacktown, in Sydney’s west, on Friday afternoon.
Ann Carlos and her family had just moved into the Girra Road home a week earlier.
Her sister Lara was hanging out washing on the back patio when she heard faint cries.
She found a naked baby girl – barely an hour old – lying in a wicker cane chair, still covered with birth fluids and with the umbilical cord still attached.
A newborn baby girl was found abandoned in a family’s backyard on Friday
The family wrapped the chilly newborn in a towel before ringing triple-0 as paramedics instructed them over the phone how to clamp the umbilical cord.
‘I couldn’t find anything in the kitchen, so I grabbed a shoelace and used that…then they (paramedics) talked me through how to do it,’ Ms Carlos told The Daily Telegraph.
‘We knew she had been born very recently, like only hours earlier, because she still had the white stuff (vernix) on her head.’
She believes the newborn was cleaned up before being dumped in their backyard as there wasn’t much blood on her.
Ms Carlos recalled hearing the side gate slam loudly shut around 2pm, thinking at the time it was her brother-in-law.
‘But now we realise that must have been the mum or whoever left the baby here, and they closed it loudly so we would go out and find her. You don’t bang a gate closed if you don’t want to be heard,’ she said.
Police spent the weekend scouring the Blacktown neighbourhood as the desperate search for the newborn’s mum continues
With three children of their own, the family had plenty of clothes on hand to warmly dress the baby by the time police and paramedics arrived at the house.
How and why the newborn ended up in the child-friendly backyard equipped with a swing set, children’s bikes, toys, and a mini trampoline remains a mystery.
The baby was taken to Blacktown Hospital, where she was given a clean bill of health and is doing ‘fine’.
She will be cared for by the Department of Communities and Justice after she is discharged from hospital.
The desperate search for the baby’s mum continues three days after the baby was found.
Investigators spent the weekend interviewing neighbours with grave fears for the health and welfare of the baby’s mum
Police have issued a plea to the public and assured the woman she’s not in trouble and that they just want to know she’s okay after the birth.
‘We’re really concerned about her health,’ Acting Inspector David McInerney said.
‘Childbirth can be quite traumatic and we’re worried for her safety and wellbeing, both physically and mentally. We’re trying to help her.
‘It’s very concerning, but she’s not in any trouble from police. I want to stress that.
‘We’re appealing to her to come forward, to get some help, and let us help her.’
‘We don’t know exactly where the child was born other than it was not at a hospital, that’s why we’re concerned about the mother,’ Insp McInery said.
Investigators spent the weekend combing the neighbourhood and have urged any witnesses to come forward.
They believe the mother would have appeared distressed and was likely visibly pregnant.
Anne Carlos’ sister was hanging out washing when she found the newborn in a nearby wicker cane chair
Police confirmed to 2GB on Monday morning they’re still searching for the baby’s parents.
Officers have commended the efforts of the family who found the newborn on their back patio.
‘They were in complete shock’ Detective Inspector Jason Petruska told Ben Fordham.
‘They did an amazing job tending to the baby, making sure the baby was okay and they’ve been so helpful so far in this process in providing so much information that’s been valuable.
‘They got the baby the help that was needed at that time.’
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