Dumped as a baby, Sophie, 17, goes public

SHE was the hours-old infant abandoned in a public toilet block, whose story captured hearts.

Seventeen years on, the girl known as ‘Baby Sophie’ has come forward in a fresh bid to find her biological parents.

In an extraordinary act of forgiveness, the girl dumped in the Victorian town of Swan Hill in 1998 says she has no hard feelings, she just wants to know where she came from.

“It would fill that hole in my heart,” she tells A Current Affairin an interview to be broadcast on the Nine Network tonight.

“It would make me so happy.”

All grown up. Sophie wants answers. Source: Supplied

The Department of Human Services fostered her out as a baby. Source: News Limited

After being found in the public toilet block in Swan Hill’s Riverside Park, the infant, who was estimated to be about two hours old, was taken to the Swan Hill Hospital, where nurses named her Sophie.

She was then taken into Department of Human Services care.

It was discovered baby Sophie had been born three weeks premature on or about April 9.

Five months later, Loddon Mallee regional director Margaret Wagstaff made a public appeal for her parents to come forward, saying the infant would be adopted out if they could not be traced.

“I think it would really help Sophie if her family could be involved in these plans, even if they are not in the position to look after Sophie,” Ms Wagstaff told Fairfax at the time.

In the end, she was fostered out.

The Daily Mail reports Sophie has previously used an adoption reunion website to try to track them down herself.

“I am happy in a family but I need to know about my birth and who gave birth to me,’ Sophie wrote,” she was quoted as saying.

A Current Affair airs tonight at 7pm on Channel Nine.

A television appeal for Sophie’s parents was made in 1998. Source: Supplied