Authorities in Malaysia are investigating after a newborn baby boy was found alive in a sanitary trash can at Penang International Airport on August 31.
A cleaner heard cries coming from a toilet designated for people with disabilities and alerted police. Officers responded to find the infant inside a sanitary bin lined with a blue plastic bag. Footage shows the baby, who still had his umbilical cord attached, being removed from the bin.
The newborn was transported to Penang Hospital, where he was treated and found to be in good health. Investigators reviewed airport CCTV footage and subsequently arrested a 23-year-old woman and a 22-year-old Burmese national working as a security guard. The man was detained for allegedly failing to produce valid travel documents and to assist with the investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 317 of the Penal Code, which addresses the abandonment of a child under 12 by a parent or guardian. Conviction can result in up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both. Authorities have not yet confirmed if the two arrested individuals are the baby's parents, and forensic tests are being conducted to determine their relationship to the infant. The investigation is ongoing.