Brazilian authorities have rescued a newborn baby that had been buried underground for seven hours.
Police in Mato Grosso state received an anonymous tip that the baby, born earlier in the week to a 15-year-old mother, had been buried on June 5, Euronews reported.
The baby’s family buried her in Xingu National Park, home to many of Brazil’s indigenous tribes. They buried her in the backyard of their home, in the town of Canarana, in a pit over 1.5 feet deep, The Independent reported.
Newborn baby buried alive by family rescued after seven hours https://t.co/1wrJDvBAw6 pic.twitter.com/pH0vBdbUHL
— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) June 9, 2018
Police dug up the baby and had her taken to the hospital, according to Euronews. The baby was naked and still had her umbilical cord attached, Sky News reported.
She was taken for neonatal intensive care and treated for hypothermia and respiratory issues, The Independent reported.
Police are investigating whether the burial stems from the family making a mistake or if they committed a crime.
“We are investigating whether it was an attempted infanticide or if she thought the baby was dead,” said State prosecutor Paulo Roberto do Prado, via Sky News.
To help clarify the issue, police brought an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a representative of the government body that handles indigenous issues to interview the family, Sky News reported.
The teen’s family said the baby fell on its head after the teen gave birth in the bathroom, according to Sky News.
Police are suspicious due to the mother’s age and the father’s unwillingness to recognize the baby as his own. Authorities have the baby’s 57-year-old great-grandmother in custody. She is a member of the Kamayura tribe, Sky News reported.
The baby’s mother and grandmother were detained, then released by police, according to The Independent.
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