A Filipina was arrested after reportedly leaving a newborn baby in a trash can at a shopping mall restroom before heading to a bus terminal.
Reports said the 25-year-old was arrested after police tracked her to the Bangkok Apiwatthana Bus Terminal after she left a major shopping mall on Sukhumvit Road in Thailand‘s capital.
A cleaning staff discovered a black plastic bag in a women’s restroom at a mall while performing routine trash collection on the afternoon of March 20. Witnesses said the bag felt heavy.
Personnel were immediately notified, leading them to discovery a baby boy inside the plastic bag with no bruises or injuries.
CCTV footage showed the woman entering the restroom carrying a suitcase and a tote bag. She later left the mall and took a taxi to the bus terminal, where she was tracked down.
Authorities found bloodstains on her clothing and brought her to the Police General Hospital, where doctors confirmed she had recently given birth and required medical attention, necessitating an overnight stay.
It has yet to be confirmed whether the baby is hers, although the report said evidence points to her as the mother.
The Filipina is facing charges of tampering with a corpse and concealing or disposing of a body.
The case has drawn attention on a Facebook page and a Reddit community, where Filipinos shared various reactions to the incident.
PINAY NA NAG-IWAN NG WALA NG BUHAY NA BABY SA ISANG SHOPPING MALL SA BANGKOK, ARESTADO
by
u/Rainbowwanderlust in
pinoy
“Gosh, she could’ve just dropped off the poor victim at a care facility,” a Facebook user commented.
“Pasarap tapos palaglag??” another wrote.
“Kahiya talaga kayo,” a different Facebook user commented, referring to Filipinos in another country.
“Let me guess, OFW [Overseas Filipino Worker] who got pregnant to another man while Hubby is in Philippines with other children,” another Pinoy commented.
“Worse scenario is r*** victim,” a different user wrote.
“Can the male who mated with her also be held accountable for an unwanted pregnancy? After all, they look very religious for avoiding abortion at all costs,” another said.
“Another case why abortion should be legal (in our country) and affordable to those who are in need. It mentioned that she has stained clothes, meaning, she probably gave birth outside the hospital,” a different online user wrote.
“I can’t imagine what this lady is going through. Siguro walang pera panggastos for healthcare at pangtustos sa bata,” the online user added.
Abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy is legal in Thailand.
A 2024 report notes that while it is legal in the country, “safe and convenient services are still limited — even in Bangkok.”
Meanwhile, abortion remains illegal in the Philippines, although post-abortion care has been legal for over a decade. However, many healthcare providers remain hesitant to provide it.
