LAGOS—Two toddlers, reportedly abandoned in different locations at Owutu, Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, have been recovered by police.
It was learned that one of them, a day-old baby girl, purportedly abandoned by a young mother, was found by a good Samaritan identified as Kola Oyekunmi, around Yinka Oguntile Street, Igbolowo Estate at Owutu, Ikorodu.
The other, who is about two years old, was found by one Mrs Adesina Yomi of Olabose Olatan Crescent in the early hours of yesterday.
Kola Oyekunmi, who reported the case of the newborn to Owutu Divisional Police Station, said: “We found the baby by the side of a bush close to our house crying. It was the cry of the baby that alerted residents in the area. Surprisingly, the baby still had blood all over its body and its placenta still attached.
“All attempts by residents in the Estate to find out who gave birth to the baby or who abandoned the baby were futile. We had no option but to take the baby to the police station.”
Vanguard learned that officers of the Juvenile Welfare Centre section of Owutu Divisional Police, headed by Inspector Bolanle Akinsanmi, took the baby to Ikorodu General Hospital, where its placenta was detached.
The baby is currently undergoing medical care at the intensive unit of the hospital.
Found at dumpsite
Vanguard gathered that Mrs Yomi alerted Owutu Divisional Police, when she discovered the toddler near a dumpsite beside her shop at NEPA area of Isawo Road, at about 6:40a.m.
She said: “When I found the child, I looked around to see if his parents were close by, but there was no one around, apart from passers-by who had gathered around the child. It was then we alerted the police of the discovery.
“He was rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital when the police officers from Owutu Police Division discovered that he was very pale and sick with rashes all over the body and liquid coming out from an injury on his head.
“At the hospital, it was discovered that the reason he could neither sit, stand nor walk was because he is a child with special needs.”
Vanguard gathered that after the child was discharged from the hospital, female police officers on duty took turns to bath, feed and care for the child, as investigations continue.
Police officers of Owutu Police Station bought a mattrass for the baby, and brought their children’s clothes for him.
The DPO has taken it on himself to provide diapers for the toddler.
Ironically, while foundations are jostling to take the new baby girl, who is still at the General Hospital, Vanguard gathered that the boy was rejected by officers at the Juvenile Welfare Centre at Alakara on the grounds that they do not have facilities to accommodate the child’s special needs, but referred them to the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Social Development, Alausa.
When Vanguard visited, the child’s health condition had improved, although he was still unable to sit or stand, the injury on his head and rashes on his body were gone.
Source:Vanguard
No comments:
Post a Comment