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Police in Longueuil have released surveillance footage in an effort to identify the person who abandoned a newborn baby outside a residence late Sunday night on Montreal’s South Shore.
The short video, made public Tuesday at around noon, shows an individual walking calmly along a sidewalk at 10:49 p.m. while carrying a baby in their arms.
The person — whose gender is unclear — is dressed in dark clothing, wearing a hooded windbreaker and sandals.
Moments later, a newborn born prematurely at 34 weeks was found with his umbilical cord still attached in front of a home on Bourgeoys Street, near Boulevard Jacques-Cartier East and Boulevard Béliveau in Longueuil.
The person had rung the doorbell before leaving the infant at the main entrance.
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As of Tuesday, the identity of the child’s mother and father remains unknown.
Police make compassionate public plea to infant’s parents
Longueuil police are appealing to the parents of the child, saying their priority is not criminal charges but to ensure the safety and well-being of both the newborn and the child’s mother.
“We can’t confirm if it’s a man, a woman, an adult or a teenager (in the surveillance footage), or whether this is the person who gave birth,” said police spokesperson Jacqueline Pierre during a media briefing Tuesday. “But it seems like that person is holding something in their arms, likely the baby.”
Police are still trying to determine if the infant was born in a hospital and are working to obtain a warrant to access medical records.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying the person, pointing to small details like walking gait and footwear as clues someone might recognize.
While abandoning a child could result in criminal charges such as child abandonment, authorities stressed that prosecution is not their focus.
“This act, as upsetting as it may be, shows us that you wanted your child to be safe,” Pierre said, addressing the person directly responsible. “We invite you, with all the compassion and respect your situation deserves, to come forward.”
Clinical psychologist Dr. Rina Gupta echoed that sentiment, saying the mother is likely in a vulnerable position and may have taken the only step she felt was possible to protect her baby.
“This person took efforts to make sure the baby is safe and cared for, and we really do have to commend them for that,” she said.
Gupta said the mother may be in an abusive relationship or could be a young person who hid the pregnancy from family.
“She most likely is in need of medical care — psychologically and physically.”
The newborn remains in hospital and is reported to be in good health. Social workers and support services are also on standby to help the family, should they come forward.
Police are urging anyone who recognizes the person in the video to contact investigators immediately.
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