Five Babies A Day Abandoned At Chinese City's 'Baby Hatch,' More Than 260 Unwanted Children Over Six Weeks

In just over six weeks, more than 260 unwanted children, most of them babies, have been abandoned in a Chinese "safe haven"-more than five a day-since it opened in late January, authorities said.

The "baby hatch" in Guangzhou, in the southern province of Guangdong, was suspended on Sunday after the city's welfare home exceeded its capacity to handle new arrivals, Agence France-Presse reported.

With 67 percent of the babies being less than a year old, all of those abandoned also suffered from illnesses including cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and congenital heart disease, the Bureau of Civil Affairs of Guangzhou Municipality said.

The facility was set up in late January and 262 children had been abandoned at it by Sunday morning, it said in a statement, according to AFP.

The 1,000-bed welfare home was housing 1,121 residents, with another 1,274 being cared for by foster families, the statement issued Sunday said.

Its quarantine facilities were "not enough to meet the demand" and wards that had previously held 50 children were now caring for 80 to 100, it added.

Since June 2011, China has set up 25 baby safe havens in 10 provinces and major cities. It also plans to roll out the facilities to most of the country, the official Xinhua news agency reported in February.

An incubator, a delayed alarm device, an air conditioner and a baby bed are usually provided at the havens, introduced to reduce the risks of children dying after being abandoned in the street, the report said.

Allowing families to give up the infant safely and anonymously, welfare staff retrieves a baby five to 10 minutes after a person leaves the child and presses the alarm button.

Since parents cannot afford expensive medical bills and fees for special education, many babies are given up, it said.

Although the country's one-child policy normally allows parents to have another baby if their first is disabled, a disabled child can be a huge drain on a family's resources. Restrictions can be a factor in other abandonments, AFP reported.

Anyone leaving a child at the Guangzhou safe haven will now be reported to police, the city statement said. Any re-opening will be announced at a later date, it added.

"Losing the care and love of the family at a young age will cause lifetime psychological damage to a child," it cited the head of the welfare home, Xu Jiu, as saying. "And abandoning children is illegal. I hope parents who want to do so think prudently before acting."

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