These images show Spanish cops finding an abandoned newborn baby next to a footpath before arresting the suspected mother.

The baby was found in the rural village of San Isidro in the province of Alicante in the Spanish region of Valencia on 21st May.

According to reports, the suspect, a 39-year-old Swiss woman, gave birth in a house in ruins in a vacant lot next to an industrial estate and then dumped the newborn next to a footpath.

A lorry driver notified the police that he saw a woman with blood-stained legs walking in the area while holding a bundle wrapped in a blanket.

Officers arrived on the scene and found the newborn, still with the umbilical cord, showing signs of dehydration although otherwise apparently healthy.

The police tracked down the suspected mother who denied giving birth and refused to be checked by medics sent to the scene, according to reports.

The 30-year-old Swiss woman was placed under arrest and has been remanded in custody for abandoning a minor as the authorities continue to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, the baby was placed in an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital where staff carried out checks and named the healthy newborn Noa. It is unclear if the tot is a boy or girl as Noa is a common name for both sexes in Spain.

The case has been brought to the attention of officials of the Children’s Prosecutor’s Office who will decide what will happen to the newborn.

The child remains in the authorities’ care as the investigation continues.