Even one day after the discovery of a dead infant in front of a "baby basket" at the Friederikenstift in Hanover, there is still no trace of the mother. The little boy, whose umbilical cord had not yet been severed, died from lack of nutrition and exposure to cold, according to the autopsy report. As the initiator and patron of the baby basket, the bishop of the state of Hanover, Margot Kabmann, is still catchless on Thursday: "Our network wants to assist mothers in need and save children. The death of a baby is horrific and sad news."
Forensic experts believe the child had been lying on the concrete floor in the immediate vicinity of the baby hatch for several hours prior to the clinic. Whether the child was already dead deposited or only there died, could not be clarified so far. An alarm is only triggered when the flap is opened. The public prosecutor's office is investigating for negligent homicide. The baby basket is currently being checked for functionality by specialists from the State Criminal Police Office.The bishop hopes for a quick result. Seven years ago, it founded the project "Mirjam — Network for Life" together with Diakonie. The baby basket was intended from the beginning as a "very last resort," says Kabmann. Her main concern is that pregnant women are not left alone in conflicts. That is why, in addition to the baby basket in which eight babies have been placed so far, there is also an emergency telephone. Under the number 0800/60 500 40 callers are advised day and night. Among the more than 10.000 calls so far have been 800 serious inquiries, Kabmann says.In addition, women can receive care before and after birth in various diaconal institutions in Hanover. They receive housing opportunities and support in education and employment. The project has helped 44 women so far. The "Mirjam Network" is considered the most comprehensive in Germany with its services for pregnancy and birth.In total, there are about 80 so-called baby flaps in Germany. The first was opened in Hamburg in 2000. Bernd Wacker, an adoption expert at the children's charity terre des hommes, said that baby drops are "not the right instrument" to solve the problems of mothers who do not want to keep their child. Child flaps rather caused harm. The dead baby of Hanover is "another prime example". Women in such an extreme situation could rarely weigh and decide rationally. Therefore, the argument that women would rather give their child to a baby drop than kill it is not valid.Leila Moysich from the SterniPark project in Hamburg rejected this argumentation. Since the association set up Germany's first baby hatch eight years ago, 31 children have been saved there, she said. Since then, there has "not been a single abandoned baby in the city". The mother in Hanover probably felt that she was being watched or that the flap was defective.Experts have long advocated improving counseling services in particular to prevent women from making rash decisions. This is also the intention of the "Mirjam Network". 16 people seeking help have so far kept their child, 28 women have given it up for adoption. The baby basket is also equipped so that mothers can take a footprint of their child with them to later prove their motherhood.
Dead baby found in baby hatch in Karlsruhe, too In Karlsruhe, a dead infant has been found in a baby hatch. The baby, only a few hours old and wrapped in a sheet, was discovered on Thursday night by employees of the facilities run by the Hardt Foundation, according to police and the prosecutor's office.According to the emergency doctor, the newborn girl had no external injuries. Clarity on the cause of death should give an autopsy of the body ordered by the prosecutor's office. The criminal police have started an investigation into manslaughter.