A horrifying discovery left the residents of an apartment building in Saint-Étienne shaken. In the early hours of Sunday, March 24, around 4:30 a.m., neighbors were startled awake by the unmistakable sound of a baby crying. What they found after investigating left them in shock.
Upon stepping out of their apartments, they noticed traces of blood leading toward the building’s trash room. Following the trail, they entered a small storage area and found a newborn baby, alone and vulnerable. The realization was both terrifying and heartbreaking.
Understanding the urgency of the situation, the neighbors immediately contacted emergency services. The presence of blood and the baby’s weak cries indicated that the infant had just been born. Responders from the Loire Samu and the Départemental Fire and Rescue Service of Loire (SDIS) quickly arrived to assist.
The newborn was suffering from hypothermia and was still attached to the umbilical cord. A doctor on the scene provided immediate medical care, stabilizing the baby’s condition. Fortunately, the infant’s life was not in danger, and the child was taken to CHU of Saint-Étienne hospital for further care.
Authorities immediately launched an investigation, treating the case as an attempted murder. Police officials stated that without the rapid response from the residents and medical teams, the baby may not have survived.
Early findings suggest that the baby’s mother is a 20-year-old woman who also lives in the apartment building. Investigators believe she experienced a repressed pregnancy and gave birth alone in her bathroom before abandoning the child.
Police followed the blood trail from the trash room back to an apartment, where the young woman answered the door. She was taken to the city’s North Hospital for medical attention. As soon as her condition allows, investigators plan to question her about the incident.
The shocking discovery left the neighborhood deeply disturbed. If not for the quick actions of the neighbors, the outcome could have been much worse.
