By Akeem Oduyoye
A 20 year old mother, named Nwaedoka Chidinma, is currently cooling -off in one of the police cells in Anambra State for allegedly throwing her new born baby inside a pit latrine in Otuocha, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.
The baby was later rescued three days later by Chidinma’s friend.
Chidinma, the mother of the male baby, hails from Izzi, Ebonyi State, was said to have deliberately carried out the act last Sunday.
This was contained in a report posted on the Facebook page of Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare
Esther Omesi, a farmer and friend to Chidinma, exposed despicable act of her friend to relevant authorities in the state.
Omesi said she was staying at Chidinma’s place at the time it the incident happened.
According to her, Chidinma started suspiciously on Sunday after she had notified her (Omesi) that she was having stomach upset and then went to the pit to ease herself.
Omesi explained that Chidimma took time and when she came out of the toilet, blood was dripping down her thigh and she (Omesi) call a nurse that inspected her and revealed that the baby was gone.
According to Omesi, she thought that Chidinma had a stillbirth, which is why she encouraged her to travel home to her parents and notify them of the development.
According to Omesi, they heard a baby’s cry on Tuesday morning and quickly used a ladder to rescue the newborn.
Speaking on the despicable incident, the state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, said she was shocked when both the mother and child were brought to her office.
Obinabo lambasted the baby’s mother, saying “Why would you, after you have passed through pregnancy, given birth and decided to put the baby in the toilet? Why? Since Sunday? Why are you this wicked?”
After lambasting Chidinma for her wicked action, the commissioner immediately ordered that the newborn should be taken to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, in Awka for treatment and later called for the arrest of the mother of the baby.
Obinabo denounced the rate at which young girls now commit crime and stated that the young mother would face justice for her action.
The commissioner added the State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, has zero tolerance for such inhumane and dastardly acts and assured of seeing to the end of the case.