Newborn baby abandoned on doorstep of Longueuil home
Posted October 6, 2025 7:43 am.
Last Updated October 6, 2025 6:19 pm.
Longueuil police (SPAL) have launched an investigation after a newborn baby boy was found abandoned on the doorstep of a home in Montreal’s South Shore late Sunday evening.
According to SPAL spokesperson Mélanie Mercille, someone rang the doorbell of a residence on Bourgeoys Street at around 11 p.m. and left the baby — a boy — outside.
The child had been born after approximately 34 weeks of pregnancy and still had his umbilical cord attached when he was found.
The occupants of the home discovered the baby and called 911. Officers and paramedics arrived shortly after.
“Last night, at around 11 p.m., a person reportedly rang on their doorbell on the resident just right here on Bourgeoys Street in Longueuil,” said Mercille. “The person left a newborn baby — it’s a boy — and left rapidly. So the homeowner opened the door and saw the baby. They contacted 911.”
Mercille said the baby was taken to hospital and is doing well.
“The police officer arrived like three, four minutes after. They took some care of the children and the paramedics arrived too. And they go at the hospital. And fortunately, the baby is in good condition.”
A crime scene was set up overnight, and the investigation continued into Monday.
“A scene was established this night and it was finished soon in the morning,” Mercille said. “The investigator will come back this morning and they will do door-to-door and they will check the footage of the security camera.”
Mercille said there are no suspects at this time, and police don’t yet know who left the baby.
“For the moment, we do not have the confirmation that it is a woman or a man that have left the baby on the front door of the house.”
She added that any video from nearby security cameras could be helpful.
“Maybe today or on the week we’re going to have a clear image on the security cameras so that can help us to find the person who left the baby on the front door.”
Police are asking anyone with information to call their anonymous tip line at 450-646-8500, or contact 911.
Legal perspective: Could someone be charged?
Marie-Pier Boulet, president of the Quebec Association of Criminal Lawyers, says criminal charges could be possible.
“They could be charged,” Boulet told CityNews. “So there’s a bunch of infractions that are in the criminal code about the duties of parents. Well, people should give to, especially to a baby.”
She pointed to one section in particular.
“Yes, I would especially think of section 218 of the criminal code. So this section is abandoning a child. So it’s really specific to this situation,” she explained.
“But there’s other duties as well as to give sufficiency. So what a person would need. I don’t recall the exact terms of the criminal code — something like duties tending to preserve life, something like this. You don’t need to show that actually like the child died or suffer of something. Just if a person do not render her duty to provide, let’s say, necessaries.”
Boulet also said Quebec’s youth protection system would now be involved in the case.
“I mean, in this step? Of course, and it should have been the first step actually,” she said. “Because if a person is in such a situation where she thinks that she could not take care of the child — the first thing is to call the youth protection. So at this time, of course, the person that received the baby in front of their door have no rights against with that baby. So the youth protection will take care of them.”
Homeowner made the discovery
The homeowner told TVA Nouvelles he found the baby shortly after the doorbell rang. The newborn appeared to have been born very recently and was still breathing.
The man crouched down next to the infant, saw he was breathing, and immediately called 911.
Park cordoned off
Parc Bourgeoys, located right next to the home, was also cordoned off on Monday morning as police continued to investigate. A command post was set up. Officials would not say why the park was closed off, only saying they received new information they wanted to validate.
Shock and sympathy from neighbours
Neighbours said the incident left them shaken.
“If it really happened like a baby left like that, I think it’s very sad,” said one woman. “But probably parents don’t have the choice to do something, but it’s a very sad gesture.”
Another resident reflected on the possible social pressures behind such a decision.
“Well, I imagine today with the kind of life that the young people [live]… families don’t have money to do the grocery shopping. And it’s just to pay the rent,” he said.
“What is it that can make someone abandon their children like that? That child. I have no idea. For today, there are a lot of tools to get out of it. It’s sad. I wish the baby good luck. The mother and the father of the baby are somewhere. So good luck in life.”
Investigation ongoing
Investigators are still working to determine if the baby was left at that specific house intentionally, or if it was a random choice. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
