Mati City, Davao Oriental – September 27, 2025 — A shocking and heart-wrenching tragedy struck Barangay Tamisan, Mati City, when residents discovered the lifeless body of a newborn baby on the shoreline Saturday afternoon. The innocent infant, believed to be only 6 to 7 months old, was found abandoned, wrapped in a pillow, and with mutilated feet after being dragged by dogs.
Barangay officials, police personnel from Mati City Police Station, and Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) immediately responded to the gruesome scene. According to investigators, the baby’s feet were already severed and dangling when discovered, indicating it had been attacked by stray dogs after being left helpless along the beach.
The horrifying incident has ignited widespread outrage and condemnation from the community. Residents expressed deep grief and anger over the cruel fate of the child, whom they later named Baby Angelo during a novena prayer, to at least afford the abandoned infant dignity and identity in death. The child was laid to rest at the Barangay Tamisan cemetery shortly after the discovery.
Local leaders and residents did not mince words in condemning the heartless act, calling it a crime that no conscience can accept. “How can any parent abandon a defenseless newborn this way? This is inhuman and unforgivable,” a barangay official lamented.
Authorities are now conducting a thorough investigation to identify the baby’s mother and those possibly involved in the abandonment. Law enforcers vowed to hold the perpetrator accountable, stressing that such acts of cruelty against children have no place in a civilized society.
This case underscores the urgent need to address issues of child protection, maternal support, and accountability to prevent similar tragedies. As the community mourns Baby Angelo, the call for justice grows louder: that the one responsible be found and made to face the full weight of the law.
Rest in peace, Baby Angelo. May your short, silenced life serve as a wake-up call against neglect and cruelty.