A four-month-old baby admitted to the Centro Habana Pediatric Hospital is fighting for her life amidst severe malnutrition, without her mother, and relying on the kindness of strangers to survive.
The activist Lara Crofs (Yamilka Lafita Cancio) issued an urgent appeal on Facebook this Friday to seek assistance for the little Melody Portuando Hechevarría.
The baby is in Cartaya Room, bed 22, in critical condition and with a weight well below normal. The photos accompanying the post show Melody with thin limbs, a distended abdomen, and skin over her bones, signs consistent with severe malnutrition.
The situation of the girl is particularly dramatic. According to the activist, the mother is a teenager and is being held at a police station in the Cerro municipality.
"Her mother, barely 15 or 16 years old, is being held at Cuarta del Cerro, and the baby has practically been left alone," wrote Lara. In the comments on the post, one person noted that the girl's mother is in prison, allegedly, "for abandoning the baby."
In the wake of the mother's absence, members of the Municipal Defense Council take turns every day to accompany the girl in the hospital. However, as Lara Crofs mentions, "a four-month-old baby needs much more than occasional presence; she needs nourishment, hygiene, clothing, arms, and constant care."
What is most touching about the story is the response of other mothers: "The mothers in the room, who are there with their hospitalized babies and are breastfeeding, have been nursing Melody to help her feed," described Lara Crofs.
"Imagine the magnitude of this situation: a tiny creature, fighting for its life, relying on the solidarity of other mothers who are also going through difficult times," she added.
The activist is requesting donations of diapers, bottles, clothing, and hygiene products. Anyone who wishes to coordinate assistance or a donation can contact Sandra Argudín at the phone number 50901384.
"It doesn't matter how much you can contribute. A pack of diapers, a bottle, a change of clothes, financial assistance, or simply sharing this post can make a huge difference. She is not to blame for the circumstances she has had to endure," said the activist.
Other similar cases reported recently in Cuba
In March 2026, the case of Kusum González Pedroso, a 10-month-old baby found in Camagüey with severe malnutrition and abuse, was reported, and his mother was also arrested.
Weeks later, in April, another call for help for a girl in La Lisa, Havana, was circulated, showing similar signs of severe malnutrition.
These cases occur within the context of a food crisis that is hitting Cuban children particularly hard. A UNICEF report, in 2024, already warned that 9% of children in Cuba live in severe food poverty, consuming at most two of the eight essential food groups.
Studies in Cuban pediatric hospitals report hospital malnutrition rates between 23.8% and 30% in admitted children, with higher incidence in those under two years old.
The adolescent pregnancy further exacerbates the vulnerability situation. In 2025, adolescents accounted for 18.2% of the total pregnancies in Cuba. In 2024, there were 327 births to mothers under the age of 15, according to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information.
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