“Something May Have Gone Awry”: Child Found Abandoned in Belize City

A child left behind on Bagdad Street in Belize City has been placed in the care of Human Services, after a small fire nearby helped police uncover why the child was left there in the first place. 

ASP Stacy Smith said police responded to a residence on Bagdad Street Sunday night after a stairwell fire. While extinguishing the flames, a resident reportedly discovered a birth paper near the fire.

According to police, another woman in the area recognised the name on the document as that of a woman who had earlier visited her home with a child.

Smith said the child’s mother, known to the resident only by first name, had visited and asked her to call a taxi. While they waited, the child fell asleep and was placed inside the home. The mother left and never returned. 

“It was only when that incident happened that she realised that something may have gone awry,” Smith said.

Investigators have since located the child’s mother. “A consultation and welfare check should happen… to see what exactly went wrong that caused the mother to take that course of action that she took,” Smith added.

Police have not disclosed the cause of the fire but confirmed that no one was injured.

Police have not disclosed the cause of the fire but confirmed no one was injured.

The case drew sympathy online, with one social media user saying, “She might be having a meltdown and struggling to deal with everything life keeps throwing her way.”