Baby 59: Mother May Have Flushed Newborn Son Down Toilet

The two-day-old Chinese baby rescued from the sewage pipe of an apartment building in Jinhua, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, may have been abandoned by his mother.

According to the Mail Online, the 22-year-old woman was also the person who raised the initial alarm and was reportedly present during the entire rescue operation. A local police officer claimed the woman admitted her relationship on questioning and investigators were looking for "malicious intentions" to help frame charges, which could relate to attempted homicide.

The woman's relationship to the traumatised child was revealed after a search of her residence uncovered toys and blood-stained toilet paper. She claimed she could not afford an abortion and gave birth to her son in the apartment's toilet. Apparently the baby slipped into the sewer line after delivery and that was when the mother alerted the landlord.

The landlord said she was unaware that any of her tenants was pregnant and also said there were no signs of the woman having given birth in the toilet.

The baby boy, dubbed Baby 59 for now, is reportedly stable. However, he has a fractured skull and severe bruising and his condition is being monitored by doctors at the Pujiang County People's Hospital.

The brutal nature of this incident has sparked outrage across the world and has been discussed in detail on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

Offers of Adoption

Meanwhile, news of Baby 59's condition has prompted a flood of donations and charity from strangers. This includes nappies, baby clothes and powdered milk. Australian newspaper The Age adds offers of help have included those of adoption.

As of now though, it is likely that Baby 59 will remain in state care until his mother's future is settled. If she is to be convicted of charges of attempted homicide, abuse or neglect, then it is possible Baby 59 will be handed over to state social services, who will then begin the process of adoption.