A newborn baby boy was on Sunday found dumped inside a residential garbage bin, at an apartment in Kitengela.

It was not immediately clear if the newborn was dead or still breathing, but he reportedly looked healthy, and may have been born only a few hours earlier.

According to residents, a used plastic waste collector who had been sifting through the garbage found the baby wrapped inside a sack.

“The Good Samaritan raised alarm after he found the baby, alerting residents and tenants,” said Mathew Muthosi, a caretaker at the said apartment.

“The garbage is collected at this common point before it is taken away by the town garbage truck,” said Muthosi.

Mothers who gathered at the scene were left scratching their heads – with many wondering why a mother would throw away a healthy looking child.

Speaking about the incident, 78-year-old Erastus Karanja, an elder in the estate, asked new mothers to consider enrolling newborn children they have no intention of keeping to registered children homes, instead of throwing them away like garbage.

“It is the first time this is happening in this area, and it is heartbreaking to see. If you don’t want a child, give it up to a family member or to an adoption centre, or come talk to people if you need help. Do not throw away a life,” said Mzee Karanja.

Police from Kitengela were called to the scene, and took the newborn to a nearby medical facility, and promised to investigate the incident.