Kirkuk infant found abandoned in landfill remains in hospital pending court decision

KIRKUK — A four-day-old infant was discovered abandoned in a landfill in the Qarahanjiri subdistrict on Saturday and taken to Kirkuk Children’s Hospital, a city health official said. The infant is in stable condition and will remain at the hospital until a court determines his fate.

“A four-day-old baby boy was brought to the hospital and is in stable condition,” a health official from Kirkuk told 964media. “All necessary care and safety measures have been provided, and the child will remain in the hospital until the court determines his fate.”

Officials said no one has come forward to claim the baby, marking the first such case at the hospital this year.

Kirkuk’s court recently ordered the transfer of two abandoned girls — an 11‑month‑old and a three‑year‑old born at Azadi Hospital — after their families relinquished custody at birth. Following the court’s ruling, both girls were sent to an orphanage in Sulaymaniyah.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s abandonment as judicial proceedings continue.