'Miracle Newborn' Rescued from Collapsed Building... Flood of Adoption Inquiries

Connected to deceased mother by umbilical cord at discovery
Rescued 10 hours after earthquake... Recovering health

Requests to adopt a baby miraculously born from the rubble of a building hit by an earthquake in Syria are pouring in from around the world.

According to the British BBC and others on the 9th (local time), the newborn is currently called 'Aya.' 'Aya' means miracle in Arabic.

Aya was rescued on the 7th from the rubble of a five-story apartment building that collapsed due to a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in northern Syria. It was 10 hours after the earthquake occurred, and Aya was found still connected to her deceased mother by the umbilical cord.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

Hani Marouf, the doctor in charge of Aya, estimated that based on the baby's condition, she was born in the rubble about three hours before being rescued. He explained, "When Aya arrived at the hospital, she had bruises and weak breathing," but she is now in considerably improved condition. However, Aya's father, mother, and four other siblings all died.

Currently, dozens of phone calls have been received at the children's hospital in Afrin, Syria, where Aya is being treated, from people wanting to adopt her. The BBC also reported, "Thousands of people on social media are asking how to adopt Aya." A TV anchor from Kuwait even stated, "If the law permits, I would like to adopt the child."

However, the hospital has stated that they will not consider adoption for the time being. Dr. Khalid Atiya, the hospital administrator, said, "We will not allow Aya to be adopted right now," adding, "I will take care of Aya like my own child until we can contact distant relatives." He and his wife are currently caring for Aya; he has a four-month-old daughter.

Meanwhile, the earthquake in T?rkiye and Syria has caused over 20,000 deaths. This number far exceeds the death toll of 18,500 from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. T?rkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) announced that as of the 9th, the official cumulative death toll was 17,134. Syrian authorities and rebel groups reported 3,162 deaths, bringing the total death toll in both countries to 20,296.