Police seek parents of preemie abandoned on Montreal doorstep

Police in a Montreal suburb are investigating after a premature baby was abandoned on a neighborhood doorstep.

Key Takeaways:

• A infant, believed to have been born prematurely, was abandoned on a doorstep in Longueil, a suburb of Montreal.

• The baby was transported to the hospital and is reportedly doing well.

• Police are seeking the parents of the child.

• Canada does not have any laws allowing the surrender of infants.

The Details:

Police in Longueuil, a suburb on the south shore of Montreal, say they received a 911-call around 11:00 p.m. on the night of October 5, with the caller reporting that an unknown person had rung their doorbell and left a baby on the front stoop.

A woman living at the home said that when she and her husband opened their front door, they were "in shock" to find “a baby at our door, nobody on the street."

“At first he wasn’t moving,” the woman told The Montreal Gazette, though she said the infant was breathing. “We called (911) right away.”

 The newborn, believed to be premature, still had its umbilical cord attached.

“Police and paramedics provided care to the baby, who was then transported to a hospital,” said Jacqueline Pierre, a spokesperson with Longueuil police. “Fortunately, the baby is doing well.”

Police have released a surveillance video of a "person of interest" they would like to reach in relation to the case.

“At this time, the person who abandoned the baby has not been identified,” said Pierre.

Why It Matters:

Unlike the United States, there are no laws in Canada that allow the surrender of infants, though there are "baby boxes" in Alberta and British Columbia allowing for safe-surrender.

In the United States, each state has its own law that allows the safe surrender of an infant a parent may feel unable to care for. Though the age and specifics of surrender varies from state to state, the laws are similar in that they offer an option for parents, while aiming to curtail the rate of infant abandonment.

Under the Canadian Criminal Code, a parent found guilty of child abandonment can face a sentence of five years in prison. However, Pierre emphasized that pressing charges is not the police's priority.

“Right now we’re not talking about charges at all,” she said. Then, addressing the baby's mother, she added, “We understand that you are undoubtedly going through an extremely difficult time. This act, as upsetting as it may be, shows us that you wanted your child to be safe. And he is, I can assure you."