A woman abandoned a four-month-old at hospital after the baby tested positive for coronavirus.
Some local news reports claim the woman who left the baby girl in a hospital in Palermo, Sicily, on October 12 was her mother.
But the woman said she was the baby's aunt, Yahoo News reports.
According to La Repubblica, police are looking for two women in the case.
The first woman, claiming to be the baby's aunt, dropped the child off to hospital before disappearing a few hours later.
A second woman, also claiming to be the child's aunt, arrived days later and tried to take the baby home once she'd been discharged.
But hospital staff became suspicious and contacted officials.
The second woman was then forced to stay at hospital after she also tested positive for Covid-19.
But five days later, she also managed to escape.
The baby remains in hospital until authorities can make sense of the situation.
A hospital spokesperson said they have been unable to contact the baby's mother.
Police are reviewing CCTV and speaking to witnesses as they investigate.
Measures have been taken to protect the child.
