Newborn found alive in sanitary bin at Penang airport, M'sian woman & Myanmar national arrested

A newborn baby boy was found alive in a sanitary bin at Penang International Airport on Aug. 31.

According to the New Straits Times (NST), a Malaysian woman, 23, and a Myanmar man, 22, were detained shortly after to assist with investigations.

Discovery

Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that the baby was found by a janitor who heard its cries.

The baby was likely abandoned shortly after birth as it was discovered with the placenta and umbilical cord still attached, NST stated.

Soon after, a video showing the baby in the bin went viral on Malaysian social media.

The baby was eventually brought to a hospital for treatment.

Arrest

Police chief Anuwal Ab Wahab said in a statement that the couple was detained after a review of the CCTV footage, NST wrote.

The woman was subsequently arrested at Kompleks Bukit Jambul, a shopping mall close to Penang International Airport.

Further investigations led to the arrest of the Myanmar national.

The two are being investigated for the abandonment of a child under 12 by a parent or caregiver.

NST reported earlier this year that 18 cases of baby abandonment in Malaysia were recorded within the first quarter alone.