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A six-month-old baby was found abandoned next to garbage bins in the Athens suburb of Alimos on Tuesday afternoon, in a heartbreaking discovery by the Greek police.
An online video captured the moment police officers spotted the infant, alive and wrapped in a blanket, left alone beside trash containers. The baby’s soft cries could barely be heard over the hum of traffic, a sound that led to a life-saving rescue.
Officers rushed the baby to “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital for medical checks. Thankfully, doctors say the infant appears to be healthy and unharmed.
Η στιγμή που οι αστυνομικοί βρίσκουν το μωρό δίπλα στους κάδους σκουπιδιών στον Άλιμο pic.twitter.com/nhj43OyyGf
— Kathimerini_Web (@KathimeriniWeb) May 14, 2025
But the story behind how the baby ended up there is as troubling as it is mysterious.
According to police, the case began earlier in the day, around 2:20 p.m., in Athens’ busy Omonia district. A 45-year-old Roma woman, believed to be the baby’s grandmother, told authorities she was walking along Aiolou Street with her grandchild when a stranger approached her.
She claimed the man offered to help, suggesting they go together to a nearby supermarket where he could buy something for the baby. But just minutes later, she says, the man suddenly snatched the child and disappeared. It’s still unclear if this happened on the street or inside a shop.
Two hours later, at around 4:30 p.m., the baby was discovered miles away in Alimos, lying next to a row of rubbish bins. Who left the baby there, and why, remains under investigation.
The grandmother is currently being questioned by the police’s special unit for child protection. Officers are also combing through surveillance camera footage from Omonia and along the route toward Poseidonos Avenue, searching for clues.
The incident has sparked public outcry and a wave of concern about child safety and poverty. Social media flooded with messages of support for the baby, many calling it a “miracle” that the infant survived.
