Teenage mother returns for baby abandoned at temple, fearing imprisonment
Young mum pleaded, 'Please don’t put me in jail'
A Thai teenage girl abandoned her newborn baby at a temple in the Isaan province of Buriram, before returning to retrieve the child out of fear of legal consequences.
A monk at Mueang Nuea Temple in Buriram shared a photo of the infant on his Facebook account to locate the baby’s mother. The child was first discovered by 74 year old monk Sunthorn Chatthan. The baby boy was reported to be underweight but in a safe condition.
Sunthorn told Channel 7 that the sound of dogs barking persistently outside his accommodation alerted him. Upon investigating, he found the newborn lying on a wooden bed. He informed other monks at the temple, and they decided to publicise the situation on social media.
The monk who posted the photo stated that he did not expect the mother to come forward. However, shortly after the post was published, a 15 year old girl contacted him, claiming to be the child’s mother.
In her conversation with the monk, the girl pleaded…
“I want my child back. I know I was wrong. Please don’t put me in jail. I will take care of him. I’m still a student.”
The monk said he asked the girl several questions to verify her identity as the mother before handing the baby back to her.
Sunthorn added that stray dogs could have harmed the child if left elsewhere. Fortunately, the bed was near his quarters and in a safe spot.
In an interview with ThaiRath, the teenage mother revealed that she had been in a relationship with her boyfriend for about two years. She realised she was pregnant only several months into the pregnancy. Living with her grandmother, she was too afraid to tell her about the situation.
On the day of the incident, she experienced severe stomach pain and unexpectedly gave birth. Unsure of what to do, she confided in a friend, who helped take her and the baby to the temple, where the newborn was left behind.
The girl expressed deep remorse for her actions and promised to take care of her son. No legal proceedings have been initiated against her.
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