Many want to adopt baby abandoned in a cart, shelter says adoptive parents cannot choose the child

JAKARTA — The Balita Social Care Shelter (PSAA) Tunas Bangsa in Cipayung, East Jakarta, has stressed that prospective adoptive parents cannot choose the child they wish to adopt. The assertion follows widespread public interest in adopting AR, a baby found abandoned in a nasi uduk cart in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. Head of PSAA Tunas Bangsa Cipayung, Rida Mufrida, said the process of placing a child with adoptive parents does not allow the adoptive parents to determine the child themselves. Rida explained that although the stipulation is not written in detail in gubernatorial regulations or the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Permensos, in practice adoptive parents come to the shelter on the basis of readiness and sincerity to care for a child. “But ultimately, prospective adoptive parents come to the shelter based on their willingness and readiness. That is, if they are prepared, whatever child is assigned to them, they will accept,” she said. She likened the situation to a pregnant mother who cannot choose the gender of her child. “A pregnant mother cannot choose whether she wants a boy or a girl. She is given what is available. Usually in court the judge also asks, ‘Do you want to choose your child?’ If someone says they want to choose, ‘How can you choose? It’s too good,’” she continued. Nevertheless, the shelter still considers compatibility between the child and the prospective adoptive parents, including physical resemblance. Earlier reported, a baby wrapped in blue clothing and a blue blanket was found in a black shopping bag at the end of a narrow alley on Jalan Pejaten Raya, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (3/3/2026). The baby’s cries were first heard by a resident named Dinda (20), who was on the second floor of her house. She then searched for the source of the cries until she found the shopping bag containing the baby and her belongings. “Then the witness checked inside the shopping bag and saw a baby girl lying on her side wearing a blue teddy bear outfit and covered with a baby blanket,” said Pasar Minggu Police Chief Anggiat Sinambela in a statement on Tuesday. Along with the baby, several items were found, including red-labeled boxed baby milk, wet wipes, blue gloves, and a note. The note stated that the baby had been given the initials AR and was born on Monday (2/3/2026). “Assalamualaikum, to the parents who found my younger sister, I, Z, would like to ask you to care for my sister because my mother died while giving birth, please treat her as your own child, because I will not find or visit her again, I do not want her future to be like mine, thank you,” the note read.