A garbage collector in Rio de Janeiro made a heartbreaking discovery during his night shift on Tuesday when he found a newborn baby abandoned in a box next to a dumpster. Initially mistaking her for a discarded doll, he quickly realized she was alive, triggering a wave of emotion and online reactions.

A video of Samuel da Silva dos Santos holding the tiny infant—her delicate legs peeking from beneath an ill-fitting pink blanket—has since gone viral, sparking both outrage and admiration across Brazil.

“It’s very emotional because she is a warrior, isn’t she? She was born again,” Silva told AFP, his voice breaking with emotion. Although the baby was unresponsive at first, she began to stir as Silva held her close.

“I think she felt more cuddled and a bit warmer. It was then that she began to open her eyes… it’s surreal,” said Anderson Mendes Nunes, Silva’s partner on the garbage truck.

The two workers found the baby as they neared the end of their collection route in Rio’s northern district. Without hesitation, they handed her over to local health services, which later confirmed that she was in stable condition.

‘It Could Have Been Worse’: Silva Reflects on the Close Call

Silva admitted that the situation could have turned tragic. “We usually work quickly with shovels, tossing the garbage into the truck. It could have been worse,” he said.

A father of three, Silva now hopes to adopt the baby girl. “She needs someone who will give her love, who will give her care,” he said, visibly emotional.

For Silva, the discovery was especially poignant, as it revived memories of a tragic incident 18 years ago when he found the body of an abandoned baby while working.

Authorities in Rio have launched an investigation to identify the child and track down whoever abandoned her. The case has ignited strong reactions online, with social media users divided between sympathy for the mother’s desperation and outrage over the act of abandonment.

“I can’t imagine the desperation that led to this decision,” one user wrote on X.

“How can someone do that to their own daughter?” another commented.

As police work to uncover the circumstances behind this heartbreaking case, one thing is certain: the baby has already found an unlikely hero in a garbage collector who refused to look away.