The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a woman for throwing her
one-day-old infant into a soakaway shortly after delivering the baby at
home.
The suspect, Juliana James, a native of Plateau State, wept profusely as
she was paraded at the command’s headquarters in Bauchi, the capital,
on Friday.
The mother of six said the current economic hardship in the country was
responsible for her action as keeping the baby would have brought
additional burden on them.
“Things are hard. My husband has no job. He had an accident three months
ago and it affected his manhood. He is still in the hospital receiving
treatment.
“I delivered at home and threw the baby in the toilet
because I don’t know how we are going to take care of it. I didn’t tell
my husband.”
The newborn whose cry attracted neighbours, was rescued alive nearly 12
hours later before being rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa University
Teaching Hospital for medical attention.
Addressing newsmen, Commissioner of Police in the state, Zaki Ahmed,
said the case was being investigated, revealing that the baby had been
handed over to social welfare officers at the hospital.