A 20-year-old woman, Nwaedoka Chidimma, from Izzi community in Ebonyi State, has allegedly thrown her newborn baby into a pit toilet in Otuocha community, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, where she had gone to carry out a farming job.
The incident reportedly happened on Sunday while the baby was rescued late on Tuesday after some residents heard him crying from the pit toilet.
Residents said the culprit, who was pregnant at the time, secured a farm job in the community and while on the farm, went to use the toilet after which she came back with blood dripping from her body.
According to a report by Punch, Esther, a farmer in the community, said the suspect requested she stay at her(Esther) residence for a few days to enable her to carry out the farming job she secured in the area.
“Chidimma is my friend, she begged me to stay at my place for a few days because of a farming job she got. She was working on the farm when she suddenly started acting funny after she complained of stomach upset and went to the pit toilet to ease herself.
“After spending time in the toilet, she came out with drops of blood. I thought she had a still birth and I quickly invited a nurse who after examining her, disclosed that the baby was gone.
“I encouraged her to travel back home to her parents and notify them of the development because I thought she had a stillbirth.
“It was on Tuesday when we started hearing a baby’s cry that we quickly used a ladder to climb down the pit and rescue the newborn baby and immediately alerted security agencies and the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare.”
The Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, who reacted to the development, intervened by taking the newborn to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka for treatment, and the culprit was subsequently arrested.
Obinabo disclosed that the baby is stable and currently receiving treatment at the hospital while confirming the arrest of the suspect.
