Shocking … The mother was spotted apparently biting her baby’s arm shortly after giving birth. Pic: Australscope Source: australscope
HOSPITAL authorities in China are carrying out an investigation after a woman was seen apparently trying to eat her baby shortly after giving birth.
The shocking incident happened at a hospital in the city of Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong Province.
The woman, who is believed to be mentally ill, had been discovered heavily pregnant and in labour on the street.
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She had been taken into the hospital and had given birth, and then placed in a ward where attempts had been made to contact her family as she was left to nurse the child.
However, on the woman’s third day in hospital, nurse Liu Tianlun had gone into the bedroom to find the young mother biting her son on the arm.
When the nurse raised the alarm and tried to pull the baby free, the mother had refused to let go and continued to bite the tiny limb.
Painful … The baby’s arm was badly damaged and suffered bruising and bleeding as a result of the bite. Pic: Australscope Source: australscope
A hospital spokesman said: “It was really shocking, the arm was badly damaged and suffered not only heavy bruising but bleeding as a result of the bite. Fortunately, doctors managed to insert something to stop her closing her teeth and then levered her jaws apart. After that they gave her a sedative and took the baby to a secure location.”
Police said inquiries had found that, despite being pregnant, her mother-in-law had thrown her out on the street after she started behaving oddly.
The family did not alert anybody that the woman was pregnant and might be in need of help.
She had apparently survived on the streets for at the very least several weeks and possibly longer before she was spotted in labour and the alarm was raised.
An investigation is now going on to decide what prompted the woman’s actions and whether the child should be officially confiscated from both her and her husband’s family, who no longer seem to want anything to do with her, and also possibly her child.
If you or anyone you know if suffering from depression, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 on or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
Originally published as New mum ‘tried to eat her baby’