Drama about abandoned infant Luka: Where does his fateful path lead?

Drama about abandoned infant Luka: Where does his fateful path lead?

A heartbreaking story is affecting more and more people in Vienna: an infant named Luka, who was left in a stroller on Wienerberg shortly after his birth, has been in the care of a crisis foster family since September 4th. The dramatic situation surrounding Luka began when his mother made the newborn disappear shortly after birth and his father, who also quickly disappeared never to be seen again, left Luka in the stroller. Witnesses who observed the situation alerted the police, who were able to locate the birth parents two days later. Luka initially received medical examinations in a hospital before he was placed in the crisis foster family, where, according to Ingrid Pöschmann from MA 11 - Children and Youth Welfare, he is doing well. However, this phase of crisis care is only temporary.

The future of little Luka is currently being considered. A clarification phase, which can take between six and eight weeks, is already underway. The decision about his further care could be made as early as mid-November, but could also take several months. Options for Luka are varied: from long-term care to a return to relatives to repatriation to his biological parents, depending on the circumstances in which he was left behind are clarified. Discussions with the parents and the police are ongoing, but for data protection reasons there is no concrete information about their content.

Crisis in crisis care

But this sad story is not the only one that brings the current situation of crisis care in Vienna into focus. Since July there have been increasing reports of tense conditions in crisis care, particularly for children under three years of age. Anonymous reports to STANDARD show a chaotic situation in which not all children who are taken in for risk assessment can be adequately accommodated. The MA 11 seems to be overwhelmed at times, so that some children have to wait in the office for hours while crisis places are organized.

What is particularly frightening is the fact that some babies have to stay in hospitals because there are no crisis care places available. MA 11 employees now have the opportunity to take children home with them, which shows how urgent the need for suitable care places is. This sometimes precarious situation is described by experts as alarming and raises the question of how sustainable the current infrastructure is and whether sufficient resources are available to be able to act quickly and efficiently in emergencies.

Luka's situation is an example of the challenges facing crisis foster families and professionals. It remains to be seen how things will develop and what decisions will be made for little life in the coming weeks.