The baby is in critical condition, but according to the doctors, he's showing signs of recovery.
Trigger warning: Distressing content
The birth of a baby is the highlight of a parent's life. It is the fruit of the nine grueling months that the woman endures. When she finally holds her baby in her arms as the little one wraps its tiny fingers around hers, she finally feels that her life is complete. But seems like it's not the case with everyone else.
Sabita Dookram gave birth to her baby boy in her bathtub and threw him out of the bathroom window, according to the New York Post. What's more heartbreaking is that the newborn was still attached to his umbilical cord when he was found outside his house in South Ozone Park, New York, on October 11, 2020, at around 10:15 AM.
Baby found outside Queens home was allegedly thrown out of window by mom https://t.co/5IjtDu89j3 pic.twitter.com/CTfonpZc5I
— New York Post (@nypost) October 12, 2020
The 23-year-old mom's neighbor, Elyte Surhabli, heard the baby when she went out to throw off her garbage. "I went there to close the gate, and when I heard, like a noise, and I looked," she recalled and continued, "When I looked, I saw that it was a baby noise. And something, like a piece of meat next to it – the umbilical," reported Metro.
After discovering the terrible condition of the baby, she immediately asked one of her family members to call the emergency services. Elyte also claimed that she and her relatives had heard the little baby cry the previous night. According to 7News, another one of the neighbors who also saw the whole ordeal disclosed that when the boy was found by the woman, he was "still moving." He described it as a "heartbreaking" incident.
The emergency services immediately transported the baby to a local hospital where he was put on a ventilator, reported NBC News. Newborn babies require extra care as they are not fully formed and their bones and muscles are still developing, so it is certain that the baby would have suffered some serious injuries.
Upon further examination, more terrifying details were found by the medical experts. It was found that the infant had suffered a severe brain injury. Along with an abdominal injury, bleeding and swelling were also noticed in his brain and scalp. Dark purple patches were also noticed on the concrete where the baby was found.
The mother was charged for the attempted murder of the poor soul along with attempted manslaughter, assault, and reckless endangerment. If the prosecutors are to be believed, Sabita gave birth to her son in the afternoon of October 10, 2020.
A New York City mom allegedly threw her newborn son out of a bathroom window.https://t.co/fTqC1lSboE
— FOX 17 (@FOX17) October 14, 2020
Her court statements are as distressing as the incident. She said, "I cut the cord with a scissor from the bathroom. I panicked and threw it out of the bathroom window."
She then continued, according to court documents, to give details, "I did not check on the baby, I put my clothes in the laundry hamper in the bathroom, I showered and went to sleep." If Sabita is convicted, she is looking to face up to 25 years in prison.
According to NBC News, District Attorney Melinda Katz believes that the mother of the child is to be blamed for his condition where he's fighting to stay alive. Melinda said, "This is a heartbreaking situation. A newborn baby has suffered greatly because of the alleged actions of his mother, who now faces serious charges and a lengthy prison sentence."
The newborn's condition, who is undergoing treatment at Cohen Children's Medical Center, is improving according to the doctors (at the time of publication). Dr Peter Silver, medical director at the hospital, reminded that the Abandoned Infant Protection Act or Safe Haven Law is specially designed to avoid horrifying situations like this.
Talking to CBS2, he said, “What that law states is that parents can anonymously turn over an unwanted baby, as long as they do it in a safe way and the baby is not injured, up to 30 days of age. Again, as long as the baby is cared for and somebody knows the baby is there."
References:
https://nypost.com/2020/10/12/queens-mom-tossed-baby-out-from-window-after-giving-birth/
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/10/12/newborn-baby-abandoned-queens/
