Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube,[email protected]
A WOMAN from Empandeni Village in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, was arrested on Monday for allegedly stealing a one-week-old baby boy from Plumtree District Hospital.
The woman reportedly befriended the baby’s mother, who had taken him to the hospital for a check-up, before asking her to buy bananas.
The suspect then disappeared with the baby, and claimed to nurses at Empandeni Clinic that she had given birth herself and was struggling to feed the child.
The woman was arrested at Plumtree Hospital where the baby boy was positively identified by his mother.
The baby’s father, Mr Marvel Ndlovu, said the incident had left the family traumatised.
“My wife had taken our baby to Plumtree Hospital for a check-up when she met the woman who she befriended. The suspect then later asked my unsuspecting wife to go and buy some bananas outside the hospital and she agreed,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said upon her return, his wife found that the suspect had disappeared with the baby, and a report was made to the police.
“The suspect took the baby to Empandeni Clinic where she lied to nurses that she had given birth by herself at home. She told the nurses that she was failing to feed the baby as her breasts were not producing milk,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Investigations showed that the woman was not the mother of the bay.
Nurses pretended that all was well and admitted the suspect before phoning an ambulance, which took the suspect and the stolen baby to Plumtree on the pretext that she was being referred for further management,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“Upon arrival at Plumtree Hospital, my wife managed to positively identify the baby leading to the arrest of the woman. This has left us traumatised.”
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena, confirmed the incident, and said the woman is assisting them with investigations.@themkhust
Online Reporter