Boy, 2, kept alive by pregnant dog who BREASTFED him
signs of ‘abandonment’. He was seen by a passerby hungrily feeding from the pregnant canine, he said.
While the infant was in hospital, his mother showed up ‘dead drunk’, according to neighbours.
Gajardo told The Associated Press the toddler was later released from hospital and temporarily placed in the care of local child welfare authorities. However, his mother has not been arrested.
This is because the boy did not have any physical injuries, said Gajardo - despite confirming that the child was malnourished. The captain did not mention the claims about lice and the skin infection.
The boy’s father later showed up at the hospital - although his role in the child’s plight is unclear. It is also unclear where either parent was when the youngster was spotted in the mechanic’s workshop.
Marcela Labraña, of Chile’s National Service For Minors, said he was extremely ‘embarrassed’ about the child’s neglect in Arica, where thousands of people live in poverty in crowded slums.
‘This is a story that gives us a lot of embarrassment,’ he said, describing the situation as ‘inhumane’ and ‘reprehensible’.
‘We do not know for sure whether this (being fed by a dog) or not saved his life.’
The National Service for Minors has now filed a complaint for neglect in relation to the child.
A family court hearing is scheduled for September 22 to determine who will care for the boy.