Woman leaves three-month old baby behind in launderette in Anderlecht

An unknown woman left a three-month-old baby in a launderette in the Brussels commune of Anderlecht last Saturday, according to an investigation notice issued by the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office on Thursday.

A woman wearing a white jumper and black shorts left the baby in a grey pram at around 16:50 on Saturday. She entered the launderette on Rue de la Clinique with the pram and left shortly afterwards without the pram.

"On Saturday, we received a call from a local resident. When we arrived at the scene, we found that a very young child - barely three months old - had been left behind. The baby was in a pram," Sarah Frederickx of the Brussels South police told VRT. Frederickx added that the police "were able to analyse the cameras around the launderette" but "lost her trail".

"We hope to find the parents or other family members. If not, the girl will, unfortunately, have to be placed."

The baby is described as a girl of about three months with a darker complexion, big dark eyes and curly hair. She was wearing a white jumper. The girl is healthy and remains in hospital. "We are looking for anyone who can tell us who the baby is and where we can find the parents," police said.

"We are not yet 100% sure that the woman who left the baby is her mother, but we assume that she regularly visits or lives in Cureghem," said Frederickx. "We hope to find the parents or other family members. If not, the girl will, unfortunately, have to be placed."

Anyone who recognises the woman or the baby, or has any further information, is asked to contact the police at opsporingen@police.belgium.eu or via the freephone number 0800/30 300.

^{A laundry in Brussels (illustration image, not the laundrette in question) © BELGA PHOTO THIERRY ROGE}