A 35-year-old daily wager, who delivered a child outside the government hospital in Malavalli, dumped the newborn in a drain and tried to flee on Saturday evening. Local residents chased her for some distance, stopped her and later shifted her to the same hospital.
Both the mother, Savitha, and baby girl are recuperating at the government hospital, Bhavanishankar, District Health Officer (in charge) told The Hindu .
According to him, Savitha has expressed her inability to take care of the baby owing to poverty. Following the development, the Department of Health and Family Welfare has decided to handover the child to the Department of Woman and Child Welfare.
Savitha, a native of Gubbi in Tumakuru district, relocated to Hariharapura, near Kanakapura in Ramanagaram district, a few years ago after her marriage. The financial status of her family was said to be very poor.
On Saturday, she visited the hospital complaining of dysentery and took some medicines. When the doctors questioned, she did not speak of the labour pain. However, she gave birth near an open drain, left the baby and tried to run, Dr. Bhavanishankar said.
On getting information from the public, personnel at the hospital rushed to the spot and shifted the mother and baby, sources said.
The 35-year-old said she was unable to take care of the baby owing to poverty
