Forensic investigators in Porto Cristo concluded that the newborn, found discarded in a garbage container, was born alive and that death did not have to happen. The final autopsy report was submitted to the Manacor court last week as the mother and her brother-in-law await preventive detention. Experts note that the infant, extremely premature at 26 weeks and weighing about 800 grams, faced a grave prognosis if life-sustaining care had been provided immediately after birth. The infant was abandoned only about 400 meters from Llevant hospital, suggesting a window of possibility for intervention had help arrived sooner.
Sources familiar with the inquiry say the report confirms a head injury. Forensic specialists could not determine the exact moment of injury, whether it occurred at birth in a car on the way to a hospital, or when the infant was discarded in the dumpster. Another elusive question remains: was the newborn alive when discovered by the responders who removed him from the scene?
Earlier this week, forensic experts from the Institute of Forensic Medicine forwarded their findings to the Manacor court overseeing the case. This followed the receipt of a report from the National Institute of Toxicology and Forensic Sciences, which confirmed that the baby was born alive and that toxic substances or medicines were not present in the samples tested.
extremely premature
The baby was born after only 26 weeks of gestation, and the mother did not discover her pregnancy until two days before birth, leaving no prior medical monitoring. Forensic science notes that despite the limited development typical of such early birth, the child did have a chance if hospital care had been available immediately. The designation extremely premature is used for babies born before the 28th week, reflecting the significant challenges many of these infants face even with advanced neonatal care. The newborn received hospital treatment immediately after birth, which is a factor in assessing survival prospects.
These findings complicate the legal posture of the three suspects involved in the abandonment of the infant—mother, sister, and husband. Each has asserted that they believed the baby to be deceased when they discarded the infant and denied any intent to harm themselves.
The newborn was located in a container on Aterratge Street in Porto Cristo on the afternoon of November 2. Regional police transported the infant to nearby Llevant hospital, where medical staff could only confirm death.