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This article was originally published in The Courier Mail and has been republished here with permission. By Nathan Torpey.
A Brisbane mother has been detained under the mental health act after allegedly leaving her baby girl outside a home in Herston.
The baby was discovered on the front porch of a Herston student’s share home on Sunday, police said.
Australian Federal Police later found the baby’s mother and her toddler in the car park of the International Airport on Sunday afternoon.
The 41-year-old mother is believed to be assisting police with their investigations.
Long Nguyen, the student who found the baby, was on his way to university when he came across the three-month-old on his front verandah.
“I was quite shocked,” he told Seven News.
I really didn’t know what was going on, and it took me a few minutes to calm myself.”
The student alerted police who said they have no idea how long the infant had been left alone.
The department of child safety will also be investigating.