Online Reporter
Dalyn Chigwizura
A 22-YEAR-OLD mother vanished for two weeks, leaving her 18-month-old daughter in the care of a 13-year-old neighbour.
Her defence when she was dragged to court was a terse: “I had gone to hustle.”
Jessica Aimando, who has no fixed address, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube, facing a charge of child neglect after the shocking incident. She was convicted and sentenced to four months in prison, but the entire sentence was wholly suspended for three years, on condition she keeps her nose clean and does not repeat the offence.
The court heard that on 17 October around 4PM, Aimando left her toddler with a teenage girl at a friend’s place. The teenager, still a child herself, suddenly found herself promoted to stand-in mother without a clue of when the real one would return.
Days passed. Then a week. Then another.
Neighbours said the baby cried endlessly and the community had to rally together to provide food, diapers and comfort.
“We could not let the little one suffer. The girl was trying but she is also just a child. We ended up taking turns to help,” said a neighbour.
Attempts to contact Aimando were hopeless as her phone was unreachable and she did not communicate with anyone. The neighbourhood began to fear for the worst.
But on 1 November, Aimando casually reappeared, sparking outrage among residents who swiftly alerted the police. She was arrested and hauled to court.
When the magistrate asked her where she had disappeared to for 14 days, Aimando simply replied, “I had gone to Fairview to hustle.”
Her nonchalant answer scattered goosebumps on people in the gallery.
Prosecutor Cathrine Kuzu, told the court that the baby could have easily faced danger under the reckless circumstances, noting that parenting cannot be treated like an on-and-off side project.
Concerned residents are now urging social welfare to closely monitor the situation, fearing that next time, luck and neighbourly kindness might not be enough to keep the child safe.
