As the tragic situation continues to evolve following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria Monday and killed more than 11,000 people, a newborn baby’s story of survival is going viral.
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The infant, dubbed a “miracle baby,” was reportedly discovered in the rubble in Jinderis, Syria, with her umbilical cord still attached.
Her mother, Afraa Abu Hadiya, tragically died during the earthquake, The Daily Wire reported.
Hadiya appears to have given birth during the earthquake, with the umbilical cord still attached to her child when the newborn was recovered. The mother is believed to have died after the birth.
According to The Associated Press, the baby is the only member of her family to have survived a building collapse, with other family members’ bodies discovered near the building’s entrance. The family was reportedly trying to escape their five-story apartment building during the ordeal, CNN reported.
Dr. Hani Maarouf, the doctor treating the child, believes the baby wouldn’t have survived much longer in the elements had she not been discovered Monday afternoon. He also said the infant was likely born about three hours before rescuers located her in the rubble.
“Had the girl been left for an hour more, she would have died,” he told the AP.
Pregnant woman gives birth while buried under rubble in #Syria. Newborn baby is rescued,but the mother ‘tragically loses her life’ following devastating #earthquake pic.twitter.com/RAXOUL9m4Y
— Smriti Sharma (@SmritiSharma_) February 7, 2023
Khalil al-Suwadi, a cousin, told Agence France-Presse what happened when rescuers dug through the rubble and heard a noise.
“We heard a voice while we were digging,” al-Suwadi said. “We cleared the dust and found the baby with the umbilical cord [intact], so we cut it, and my cousin took her to hospital.”
The infant has a bruise on her back doctors are watching to assess whether she sustained any spinal cord injuries; so far, she appears to be moving normally.
Continue to pray for this infant, her extended family, and the millions impacted by this dire tragedy.
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