Baby 81 incident

The Baby 81 incident was a widely reported parental identity dispute about a baby who survived the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and became an emblem of the effect of the disaster on the families involved.

Overview The baby, around 2 months old, was reportedly found on the beach of the town of Kalmunai on the day of the disaster, 26 December 2004, in the midst of debris caused by the tsunami. Kalmunai is located in Ampara district on the east coast of Sri Lanka, approximately 180 miles east of Colombo. No relatives were found in the vicinity, so he was taken to Kalmunai hospital. He was said to be the 81st victim taken to that hospital after the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, and so named Baby 81.

After remaining unclaimed for several days, nine couples were reported to have said that the child was theirs, although this was later disputed. and how the documents of his birth, along with all their other possessions, were washed away in the disaster. On 9 February 2005, escorted by nurses, police and a court official, the baby was taken to Colombo to undergo the tests. On 14 February 2005, the results of the tests confirmed the couple's claim, and the family were permitted to take the child home on 16 February. It was later reported that only one couple had claimed the baby at the hospital, and that the press circus surrounding the baby was blamed for delaying his return to his family. They returned to Sri Lanka, but found themselves denied local disaster relief, as many thought they had received assistance in the US. The family had not been paid for their American television appearance. They later moved to Batticaloa, capital of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, to escape the label of being called the "tsunami family". As of 2024, the baby from the incident is 20 years old, and is planning on studying information technology at a university.