Talk to the Father, I Will Wait: New Details About 1-Year-Old Found in a Garbage Can

Details have emerged regarding the tragic case of a 1-year-old girl found deceased in a garbage can in Gyumri. The mother had expressed her desire to place the child in an orphanage about two weeks prior, according to Lilith Gorginyan, head of the Family, Women, and Children’s Rights Protection Department in the Shirak Province.

“As a citizen, she came to our department and said that the social conditions were poor, and she could not care for the child, which is why she wanted to hand her over to the orphanage. We offered her everything socially available—food, clothing, assistance with rent, vocational training, and placement for the child in a kindergarten nursery. She said if all these conditions were met, she could keep the child. The next day she called again, saying she wanted to come and talk. I called her in but also informed the police, because I thought that after making these offers, if she intended to refuse again, the police should be informed as well,” Gorginyan explained.

According to her, the next day, the 20-year-old mother stated she had issues with her husband and, in the end, became emotional, saying she could not envision her life without the child. “She said, ‘If you speak to the father, I will wait.’ We immediately contacted the father and the family, including the grandparents, who insisted that we not allow this to happen, claiming there were no social issues and that they had all the necessary conditions. We also spoke with her husband, who promised to come on Monday. That Saturday, the young woman called saying everything was fine and she was out with her child. Then, on Sunday, she called again to inform us that her husband had returned and they reconciled. She assured us that all issues related to the child would be resolved, and they would not need to come to any governmental office, expressing her gratitude,” Gorginyan recounted.

Gorginyan noted that the 20-year-old woman had not appeared to be deprived, as she was well-dressed and the child looked cared for. “The woman was very reasonable and spoke softly; the child was well-groomed and attached to her mother,” Gorginyan added, pointing out that the young woman had not been registered with any mental health institution.

Gorginyan ruled out social reasons for such behavior towards the child, as both the maternal and paternal families were financially stable.