Because of extreme poverty, Susana Garcia and her one-year-old niece Ruth have been sleeping on the street—until the street “swallowed” the infant early Saturday.
Ruth Garcia was found dead in an open manhole in Navotas City around 2:30 a.m., and police suspected that she rolled over toward the hole while in her sleep.
PO3 Piolo Rubang said the baby girl was last seen the previous night lying next to Susana on sheets of carton spread out on the sidewalk on Lapu-Lapu Street, Barangay North Bay Boulevard-South.
When Susana awoke, the baby was no longer beside her. The infant was later found dead with a head wound in the manhole.
The police have ruled out foul play.
The infant’s remains were brought to Kalea Funeral Homes in Navotas. Kristine Felisse Mangunay