Wed Apr 16 19:15:29 UTC 2025: ## Abandoned Baby Reunited with Parents via Video Call
**KOCHI, KERALA** – A baby girl abandoned at a Kochi hospital in January has been virtually reunited with her parents from Jharkhand, thanks to a videoconference facilitated by local police. Nine-week-old Nidhi, who weighed just 950 grams at birth, has since gained weight and improved her health significantly at a child care institute after being deemed healthy enough on April 10.
The parents, who worked at a Kottayam fish farm, were traced through a police badminton tournament. A Jharkhand officer participating in the tournament recognized the parents’ vicinity and made contact. The parents explained that financial constraints related to medical expenses at a private hospital forced them to abandon the infant.
The virtual reunion was emotional, with the parents confirming the baby’s identity and expressing a desire to retrieve her. Ernakulam Town North police, who filed charges against the parents under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice Act, are giving the parents a few days to arrive in Kochi. If they do, charges may be dropped on humanitarian grounds. Otherwise, police will pursue legal action.
The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) chair, Vincent Joseph, emphasized that Nidhi’s return to her parents will depend on confirmation of their ability to provide adequate care and ensure the child’s safety. The baby’s remarkable recovery, from a premature, anemic infant to a relatively healthy 2.5kg child, adds a heartwarming element to this developing story.
First Piper 