Newborn Baby Found Buried Alive in India Struggles to Survive
A 20-day-old baby girl found buried alive in Uttar Pradesh, India, is currently fighting for her life in the hospital. She was discovered by a shepherd who heard faint cries while grazing his goats. Upon investigating, he noticed a small hand emerging from the dirt.
After alerting nearby villagers, police arrived and dug her out. They have not identified any suspects in the case, but similar incidents are often linked to a societal preference for sons, contributing to India’s skewed gender ratio.
The baby was found in Shahjahanpur district and is receiving treatment in a neonatal intensive care unit at a government hospital.
Dr. Rajesh Kumar, the principal of the medical college, reported that she was brought in covered in dirt and struggling to breathe due to mud in her mouth and nose, BBC reports.
“She was in critical condition, showing signs of low oxygen levels,” Dr. Kumar explained. “After 24 hours, she showed slight improvement, but her condition later worsened due to an infection.”
Dr. Kumar noted that her wounds appeared fresh, suggesting she had been buried shortly before being found. A team of doctors, including a plastic surgeon, is working to treat her.
Efforts to locate the baby’s parents have not yet succeeded, and the state’s child helpline has been notified.
This incident is not isolated; cases of abandoned female babies occur frequently in India. In 2019, a premature baby was discovered buried in a clay pot and later recovered after hospitalization.
India has one of the world’s worst gender ratios, and girls often face discrimination and are considered a financial burden, particularly in poorer communities. Campaigners highlight that millions of female children have been lost to abortion and infanticide due to the strong preference for sons.
