Newborn Sydney drain - A newborn baby boy abandoned for five days inside a roadside drainage pipe in Sydney has been rescued by cyclists who heard him crying.
Reports indicate that the baby was rescued from the bottom of an eight foot-deep storm water drain in western Sydney--close to the N7 Motorway around the suburb of Quakers Hill, New South Wales, Australia.
Three police officers and three men are reported to have removed the 440-pound concrete cover of the drain in order to rescue the newborn in the Sydney drain, who was still wrapped in a hospital blanket.
David Otte, a cyclist and his 18 years old daughter, were reportedly riding on Sunday morning past the famous bike path when they heard the baby's cries.
"We actually though it was a kitten at first, but when we went down there we could hear exactly what it was, you could definitely tell it was a baby screaming," Mr. Otte said. "We're just thinking about the little fellow, he's a beautiful, beautiful baby."
The week-old baby was reportedly rushed to Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital after he was rescued. On Monday, local sources said the newborn found in the Sydney drain is in a critical but stable condition.
Authorities have since uncovered the mother of the newborn in the Sydney drain using local hospital records.
The mother, Saifale Nai, a Quakers Hill resident, is being charged with an attempted murder of her newborn in the Sydney drain. Experts say Nai could face about 25 years in prison if she is found guilty.
Reports indicate that the magistrate has officially denied her bail. She is currently in police custody and is expected to appear before the Penrith Local Court on Friday.
"Police will allege the baby, believed to have been born on Monday (Nov 17), was placed into the drain on Tuesday," a police statement read.
An investigation have been open into the why Nai decided to dumb her newborn in the Sydney drain. Meanwhile, many commentators have raised concerns about the baby's health.
Quakers Hill Police Inspector David Lagats revealed that although the child did not show any signs of physical injury, he was malnourished and dehydrated. He said officials believe Nai dumped the child in the drain by squeezing him through a narrow opening in the concrete covering.
"I would have thought that it wouldn't have been able to survive for much longer if it didn't start getting fed," Andrew Pesce, a gynecologist, obstetrician, and former president of the Australian Medical Association said.
The news of the newborn in the Sydney drain has gone viral on the Internet. Many have described the baby's survival as a miracle.
