Baby found in Bedok North was 'slowly, slowly crying', says cleaner who found him

SINGAPORE — The cleaner who found an abandoned baby boy in Bedok North on Tuesday (Jan 7) said he realised there was a baby in a rubbish chute bin when he heard him crying. 

Town council cleaner Mr Patwari Shamin, 24, was driving a buggy loaded with chute bins from Block 534 Bedok North St 3, when he heard soft cries coming from the back of the vehicle.

Mr Patwari stopped and got out to check. He realised the cries were coming from one of the bins he had earlier loaded onto the buggy.

The cries were soft, he said. “It was slowly, slowly crying.”

His colleague, Mr Mostafa Kamal, 37, lifted a sheet of newspaper from the top of the bin.

That was when they saw a plastic bag filled with blood and the baby, who was “crying, then moving”, Mr Patwari said.

They were afraid to move the baby and immediately called their supervisor from the town council. 

“I was scared,” he said. “(It was the) first time I found a baby.”

Upon reaching the site about five minutes later, the supervisor untied the bag and removed the baby, then called the police.

Police said in a statement on Tuesday that they received a call for assistance from the location at about 9.10am. 

Paramedics attended to the baby, whose condition was stable. He also had no visible injuries, the police added. The baby was later taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital. 

The police are searching for his parents.

“I am very happy,” Mr Patwari said. “The baby is now safe.”