Baby wrapped in plastic found alive in Singapore rubbish chute

The baby had no visible injuries, was in stable condition

SINGAPORE: Rubbish collectors rescued a baby boy from a bin at the bottom of a trash chute in Singapore on Tuesday, according to the Straits Times newspaper and police.

Such cases are rare in the wealthy city-state which is struggling with low birth rates and an aging population.

Refuse workers found the baby wrapped in a plastic bag at the bottom of the chute at a housing block, the Straits Times reported. It published pictures of a man cradling a baby, cleaners inspecting a bin and police cordons at the block.

Police said in a statement a baby boy had been found with no visible injuries and in stable condition. Police said the baby was taken to hospital and they were investigating.

The number of babies born in Singapore fell to an eight-year low in 2018, according to the latest data available. Over the past decade, there have been 16 cases of abandoned babies in Singapore, the Straits Times reported.