Homeless woman gives birth to baby boy on sidewalk

Manila - Several passersby came to the woman's aid.

Several passersby came to the aid of an apparently homeless woman when she gave birth on a sidewalk in the city of Manila.
According to GMA News, one of the passersby, Lilia Layson said that she saw the woman walking near her house. Layson claimed that the woman was aimlessly walking around before she lay down on the pavement in the wee hours of Saturday. She later realised that the woman went into labour and was about to give birth on the spot.
"Nobody was helping her, the baby just came out of her womb," Layson told local media.
Layson said that their offers of help were not welcome, initially. The mother kicked her away when she tried to get near her child. This was happening whilst the baby was still attached to his mother's umbilical cord. A commotion ensued which prompted other residents, policemen and local officials to rush to the scene.
Layson and her group then tried to calm the mother down. They found a nurse who helped cut the umbilical cord. Another passerby, Sheryl Navarro, also covered the child up - who had been shivering. "I picked up a piece of carton where I lay the baby. I also covered the child with a towel because he was shivering," Navarro said.
After making sure that both mother and child were safe, they were both rushed to the hospital. The woman was also reunited with her family and the baby is currently with an early care centre.
The family later revealed that the woman was mentally challenged and liked to run away. The woman's father added that he brought her to a mental institution to help her recover. When asked about the baby, the father said that his brother will take care of the child.

• Philippines