The mayor of Antwerp, Els van Doesburg, has been appointed guardian of the baby left in the country’s only foundling drawer earlier this month, her office announced on Monday.
As Mayor, van Doesburg automatically becomes the temporary guardian of the child, VRT reports. "The child is in good health and is surrounded with all care," said van Doesburg's spokesperson, David Cleiren.
The foundling drawer, also known as a baby hatch, is managed by the organisation Mothers for Mothers in Borgerhout, making it the sole facility of its kind in Belgium.
Mothers can take a ‘puzzle piece’ from the drawer, which allows them to identify themselves in the future if they wish to reconnect with their child. The mother can think about it for another 6 months. Otherwise, the child may be adopted.
In August, another baby girl, later named Nina, was left in the same drawer. She was born prematurely but is now in good health. That case marked the first usage of the foundling drawer since 2021.
This year, two baby boys were also left in the drawer after Nina. Their names have not been disclosed, although they are said to be inspired by links to the Roman Marcellus family, similar to Nina’s.
The drawer provides desperate mothers with a safe and anonymous option for leaving their newborns, aiming to prevent tragedies associated with abandoned babies.
The foundling hatch of Mothers for Mothers in Borgerhout has existed for 25 years. At that time, 22 foundlings were left behind.
According to Mothers for Mothers, a quarter of the children left in the foundling drawer eventually went back to their mother.
