Police Seek Mother Of Abandoned Newborn

Police in North Lanarkshire are trying to trace the mother of a baby boy who was found abandoned at Wishaw General Hospital on Tuesday night.

The child, who has reportedly been named Andrew after the security guard who found him, was discovered around 10:15pm last night in the baby changing room of the hospital.

The baby was checked by medical staff and is described as doing well.

Since the discovery, Strathclyde Police have been carrying out extensive enquiries in a effort to trace the mother as they said she may require urgent medical attention.

Superintendent Greig Robertson of Wishaw Police said: "Our number one priority is tracing the mother. There is great concern for her safety and wellbeing and it is imperative that she receive urgent medical attention. Hospital staff estimate that the baby is one or two days old.

"When found, the baby, who hospital staff have named as Andrew, was wearing a babygrow and wrapped in a blanket. He had been well cared for and is over 9 pounds in weight.

"I would appeal to the mother to come forward as soon as possible. She needs help and assistance and there are people who can provide her with the support that she may need. If she doesn't want to involve the police then she should attend at a doctor's surgery or a hospital for medical attention.

"It may be that the mother is a teenager who is frightened and needs help. I would stress that we will not be passing judgment but just need to ensure she is safe. There may be friends of this mother who think they are protecting her by not coming forward but I would urge any person who knows her identity to encourage her to immediately seek medical attention.

"I would also appeal to anyone who was visiting Wishaw Hospital last night, had used the baby changing room, or was in the proximity of the hospital and saw a female with a baby, perhaps behaving in a suspicious manner, to contact the police at Wishaw Police on: 01698 202600 or their local police office."

(KMcA)