A police officer breastfed a ‘malnourished and dirty’ baby that was brought into a hospital where she was on guard duty.

Celeste Ayala was working at the Sor Maria Ludovica children’s hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina when the baby was brought in crying desperately.

The officer asked the doctors for permission to hold and feed him because she could see the baby was hungry and hospital staff were overloaded with work.

A female police officer (pictured) breastfed a malnourished and dirty baby that was brought into a hospital where she was on guard duty

Celeste Ayala (right) was working at the Sor Maria Ludovica children’s hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina when the baby was brought in crying desperately

Permission was given and Ayala cuddled the baby and started to breastfeed him, after which he stopped crying immediately.

Ayala told local media: ‘I noticed that he was hungry, as he was putting his hand into his mouth, so I asked to hug him and breastfeed him.

‘It was a sad moment, it broke my soul seeing him like this, society should be sensitive to the issues affecting children, it cannot keep happening.’

A friend of the police officer, Marcos Heredia, says that the hospital staff called the baby ‘dirty’, but that Ayala was not concerned. He took a picture of her breastfeeding the hungry baby and shared it online.

He said: ‘I want to make public this great gesture of love you made today for this little baby who you did not know, but for who you did not hesitate to act like a mother. You did not care if he was dirty, which is what the hospital staff called him. Good job mate.’

The photo received more than 68,000 likes, 94,000 shares and almost 300 admiring comments.

A friend of the police officer, Marcos Heredia, says that the hospital staff called the baby ‘dirty’, but that Ayala (left) was not concerned

According to local media, the baby is the younger brother of six siblings from a single mother who is in a dire situation.

The fire brigade where Ayala volunteers for in her spare time paid tribute to the heroic gesture on social media, sharing the picture on their official social media page and writing: ‘We want to congratulate the voluntary firefighting cadet Celeste Ayala who yesterday in her job as police officer whilst she was on guard duty at the hospital, breastfed a young child who arrived crying.

‘Actions like these fill us with pride and obligate us to redouble the effort, the work and the solidarity with our community.’

A friend Antonella Romano commented: ‘I didn’t expect any less from you! You are not just a great woman, but a great mother. What pride, those who know you, know that everything you do is with.’