Victorian detectives are investigating whether a mother found with a newborn baby on her porch in the middle of the night knew she was pregnant.
The infant was found by paramedics in a critical condition outside a home in the early hours of Friday morning after the alarm was raised by the woman’s partner.
The baby was discovered at a Gladstone Road address in Dandenong North, 27km south-east of the Melbourne’s CBD, with life-threatening injuries at about 2.40am.
The infant’s mother – a 25-year old disability worker known simply as Irene – was also taken to hospital where she remains under police guard.
Daily Mail can reveal police have been told Irene may not have known she was pregnant before giving birth to the baby.
Irene’s house mates told reporters they had no idea Irene was pregnant.
‘We just woke up and there was an incident and we had to call triple zero and they came and helped us,’ one woman, who wished to remain anonymous said.
It is understood Irene had given birth to the child some time that day in the same home where the child was later found outside.
The house mates were forced to spend the remainder of the night at the local police station while detectives investigated the scene.
On Friday afternoon forensic police remained at the home where they were focused on an area in front of a parked car under the home’s car port.
Irene’s house mates had only known her for about three weeks after meeting her at a local community group for members of the Kenyan community.
The woman claimed Irene’s partner had arrived at the home as the incident played out.
It is understood Irene complained about ‘cramps’ earlier that day.
‘Things happened very quickly … we’re just hoping that our friend is alright,’ one woman said.
‘We didn’t know she was pregnant. We’ve only known her three weeks and we do back-to-back shifts so we don’t get to (see) each other.’
It is understood Irene’s baby is no longer in a critical condition and is expected to survive its traumatic entry into the world.
”We pray for (Irene) and the baby,’ a house mate said.
Irene was observed to be happy in the days before she suddenly gave birth to the child, her house mates said.
The incident comes after was stunned by an alleged attack on a baby in a Brisbane Park.
A woman and her baby were enjoying a picnic at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner about midday on Tuesday when they were approached by a stranger.
It is alleged the man poured a thermos of coffee over the little boy, causing burns to 60 per cent of his body, before fleeing the scene.
Detectives have urged anyone with information on the Dandenong incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
More to come