Border soldiers in central Vietnam have saved a newborn baby that was about to be buried along with his departed mother under a May ethnic minority custom, newswire VnExpress reported Thursday.

Ho Thi Lon, 37, died of a hemorrhage after delivering a son at her home in Ka Ai Village in Quang Binh Province on December 5.

Her family and other villagers then decided to bury the baby alive so that “the newborn could be looked after by his mother”.

Fortunately, two soldiers of the border security force at the Cha Lo International Border Gate learnt of the case and rushed to the site.

They managed to persuade the family against burying the baby just as it was placed in the grave.

Following the soldiers’ advice, the family gave the baby to his aunt, who will bring him up.

May, also known as the Chut ethnic minority, mainly live in the mountainous areas of Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces as well as the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak.

They bury newborns whose mothers die since they believe it to be a bad omen.