First baby left with Dutch foundling charity; police investigating

A woman made use of Dutch foundling charity foundation Beschermde Wieg (Protected Cradle in English) for the first time last week. She used one of the foundations "foundling rooms" and anonymously left her newly born baby in the hands of the foundation's volunteers, the Telegraaf reports. The young mother called the foundation's emergency line during the early hours of Friday morning. A volunteer called in a midwife, which helped with the birth of the baby. The healthy baby was taken to the Martini Hospital in Groningen before being placed with a foster family. Abandoning a baby is illegal in the Netherlands, and the police is therefore investigating, the Council of Child Protection said to broadcaster NOS. "We are aware of this case. The child was placed with a foster family", a spokesperson said. "We want to find out what exactly happened and what everyone's role was in it. The police are actively looking for the mother. This does not only have to do with the safety of the mother, but we also want to hear from her whether giving up her child was done voluntarily." The Dordrecht based foundation has four foundling rooms in the Netherlands - in Papendrecht, Groningen, Middelburg and Oudenbosch. A foundling room is furnished with a cot, a table and a chair. Mothers can go there to have an anonymous talk with a counselor or immediately decide to leave their baby, according to the Telegraaf. Foundation founder Barbara Muller finds it preferable that the baby is left with a volunteer, rather than in a rubbish bin or shopping bag on the street.