Lucinda Ferreira Guimarães, 40, had gone to great lengths to hide her pregnancy, even when in her eighth month. She and her four children had recently moved in with a new boyfriend.

Police believe that on Sunday afternoon she went into a wood near her home in a poor area in Laranjeiras do Sul and gave birth there, hiding the baby before returning home.

Suspicious local women went into the wood after seeing Senhora Guimarães return to the neighbourhood with blood on her clothes. Though they found no evidence of the baby they continued with their search and the next day returned with a hunting dog, which found the baby.

The women confirmed the baby was alive and called for help. Despite his ordeal the boy was declared to be in good health at the São Lucas hospital.

Doctors said heat from the heavy clay helped to keep him warm, but were still amazed that he suffered no harm from animals or insects.

Police quickly arrested the mother in a bar near her home. She was said to be in a state of shock and unable to answer police questions. But authorities said they would press attempted murder charges against her. “Her behaviour during her pregnancy indicates she planned to hide all evidence of this birth,” said Lino Lopes, the police chief.

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