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Garbage Collector Saves Newborn From Dumpster - Now He Wants To Adopt Her

April 2, 2025

A garbage collector in Rio de Janeiro made a life-changing discovery during his night shift when he found a newborn baby abandoned in a box near a dumpster.

At first, Samuel da Silva dos Santos thought she was just a discarded doll, but the heartbreaking reality quickly set in—she was alive.

Silva holding the baby / X screenshot

A video of Silva cradling the fragile infant, wrapped in a pink blanket, spread rapidly across social media, sparking a wave of emotions across Brazil.

“It’s very emotional because she is a warrior, isn’t she? She was born again,” Silva said, his voice filled with emotion.

#Resgate

🧑‍🍼Um vídeo emocionante viralizou nas redes sociais ao registrar o momento em que um gari encontra um bebê recém-nascido dentro de uma sacola de lixo no Rio de Janeiro.
➡️ Leia mais em #TribunadoNorte
https://t.co/nh3CExdb8I pic.twitter.com/bf6qszeyMm

— Tribuna do Norte (@tribunadonorte) April 2, 2025

At first, the baby was unresponsive, but as Silva held her, she slowly began to stir. Anderson Mendes Nunes, Silva’s partner on the garbage truck, described the surreal moment: “I think she felt more cuddled and a bit warmer. It was then that she began to open her eyes.”

The pair found the baby toward the end of their collection route in Rio’s northern district. Without hesitation, they rushed to get her medical attention. Officials later confirmed she was in stable condition.

Looking back, Silva realized just how narrowly tragedy was avoided.

“We usually work quickly with shovels, tossing the garbage into the truck. It could have been worse,” he said.

Now, as a father of three, Silva hopes to give the little girl a loving home.

“She needs someone who will give her love, who will give her care,” he said, expressing his desire to adopt her.

From a heartbreaking beginning to a story of hope, this remarkable rescue is touching hearts everywhere.