Baby abandoned by parents because of her wrinkly skin saved by grandfather

A baby girl abandoned by her parents in Western India was rescued by her grandfather. Born at seven months and weighing less than two pounds, the baby girl’s parents reportedly decided to reject her when they saw her wrinkly skin.

The baby’s grandfather, Dilip Dode, told reporters that word of the girl’s wrinkly appearance spread throughout their village, and that her parents were embarrassed by their daughter. The parents refused to even feed the baby, so Grandpa Dilip stepped in. He fed the baby milk from a spoon for two weeks, before he was able to take her to a hospital. At last update, the baby girl (who had not been named yet) was still recovering in a hospital, accompanied by her grandfather. Her parents still refused to visit her.

Doctors have said that the baby girl’s wrinkly appearance could be caused by Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation and chromosomal abnormality. But Dilip does not see abnormality, deformity, or disease as reason to reject his granddaughter or allow her to die…

I will try to convince her parents to accept her, but if they still refuse, I will raise her up myself. It is not her fault to have born different, and I will not throw her [away] for this disease…It is really disheartening that even her parents have rejected her, but I will go to any extent to save her.

Wadia Hospital in Mumbai agreed to cover the cost of treatment for the baby girl, and to provide accommodations for her grandfather. The story first broke in June; no current update could be found.