by Nirmala Carvalho

Passers-by found both children in Mumbai's Kalyan District and called the police. The girl, however, did not make it. "Such crimes are a disgrace to humanity," Mumbai auxiliary bishop said, adding, "The government must introduce strong pro-life measures."

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A day after the happy discovery of a 'miracle baby', another infant was found in a garbage bin in Kalyan (Mumbai). This one though was dead. The infant girl was inside a green bag, like those used in hospitals, her umbilical cord still intact, a sign, police said, that she was abandoned shortly after birth. Her body is currently with the coroner, who must determine the cause of death. However, it is already known that her left hand and right leg were broken.

For Mgr Savio Fernandes, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai and president of the Diocesan Commission for the family and human life, "there is nothing crueller than taking it out on innocent and defenceless children. Such crimes are a disgrace to humanity, especially for the society in which we live. We cannot remain silent spectators in front of such events because our silence can only reinforce the culture of death."

A passer-by found the baby girl's body when he saw a little foot sticking out of a bag in the garbage bin. The man immediately alerted the police, which came immediately. Unfortunately, the baby was already dead.

In the case of the 'baby miracle', a group of people by chance saw the discarded bundle in the same vicinity. The child in this case, however, was luckier and survived.

"The government," said the bishop, "must introduce strong pro-life measures and do everything it can to change such a distorted mind-set found in many parts of our country. The Church too must do its part, turning people into real agents of change, starting with our own families, neighbours, the workplace and the community."

• india
• mumbai
• kalyan
• abandoned
• infant
• death
• catholic
• church