Body of dead infant found in Erbil with dog reportedly seen protecting it

An eyewitness said the baby was allegedly left there deliberately overnight and died from the below-zero temperature.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The body of an infant boy was found in the capital of the Kurdistan Region on Saturday. The baby is believed to have died from the cold temperature after having been left out all night.

The body was found in the morning near the Qalati Nwe neighborhood in Erbil, Hogir Aziz, the spokesperson of Erbil police, told Kurdistan 24.

“After the people informed us, our team immediately went to the site and transferred the body to Erbil’s forensic hospital,” Aziz said.

The police spokesperson noted that an investigation had already begun into the “tragic” incident, but refused to offer further details.

In footage posted to Kurdish social media pages, an eyewitness films the infant’s body and says that when they first discovered it in the morning, a stray dog was protecting the baby.

The eyewitness also said the baby was allegedly left there deliberately overnight and died from the below-zero temperature. The police investigation is yet to confirm the accuracy of the information.

After the video and photos of the infant were posted on social media, local people strongly criticized the parents for committing or allowing such an “inhumane crime” to happen and called to bring those to justice who are responsible for the crime.

Similar incidents have been reported in the region in the past. Last Wednesday, the body of another baby was found in Kifri town in the Garmiyan area.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany