Baby Maria found in shopping bag at roadside turns one as mum urged to come forward
Gardai have launched a new appeal to locate the mother of an infant abandoned on the side of the road as she gets set to celebrate her first birthday next week.
Baby Maria was just a day old when she was found wrapped in a black plastic bag on a roadside in Rathcoole in West Dublin on May 8 last year.
The baby girl was placed into the care of foster parents following her release from hospital, but Gardai have not found any leads as to the identity of Maria’s biological mother throughout the past 12 months.
A Gardai spokesperson confirmed that the investigation to find Maria’s mother is still ongoing and issued a fresh appeal for the woman to come forward.
“The investigation is still ongoing as baby Maria celebrates her first birthday in the coming weeks. Anyone with any information as to the identity of the baby’s mum should come forward. All appeals still stand,” she said.
Baby Maria was discovered last May by a motorist who had pulled into a gate on Steelestown Lane near Rathcoole, and the infant was swaddled in a fleece blanket wrapped in a bin liner inside a Marks & Spencer carrier bag.
The 6lb baby was exposed to rainfall and temperatures of 6C when she was discovered and still had her umbilical cord attached when she was taken to the Coombe Hospital in Dublin to be treated.
In a bid to locate Maria’s mum Family and Childcare agency Tulsa released a photograph of the newborn to the public last year, but Gardai confirmed they will not be releasing an updated image of the baby ahead of her milestone birthday.
Baby Maria is said to be thriving in the care of her foster parents.
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