Woman abandons baby in latrine

RWAMAGANA — You might have been forgiven for thinking that it was  mob justice being meted out. Last Sunday at around 2 pm, a huge noisy crowd gathered at the entrance of Rwamagana Dispensary.

Monday, June 01, 2009

RWAMAGANA — You might have been forgiven for thinking that it was  mob justice being meted out. Last Sunday at around 2 pm, a huge noisy crowd gathered at the entrance of Rwamagana Dispensary.

The crowd had gathered  to take a closer look a one-day old baby who had been abandoned by an unidentified woman in a nearby pit latrine.

"This is incredible.We have discovered a baby abandoned in a pit latrine. The mother could have tried without success to push it into the pit latrine. I m lost for words,” one nurse, who was only identified as charlotte said.

Pandemonium later erupted, when a woman passing  by  running  was mistaken for being the mother. Cyclists, motorcyclists, men and women, all went on their heels to chase her upon which they got hold of her. She however, survived lynching by the angry mob after it was proved that she was not the mother.

"These women are increasingly becoming stubborn. We are used to scenarios where women abandon babies in Churches or in the open, for well wishers to take charge. But this one leaves it in a latrine above all alternatives,” complained Innocent Habiyakare (50), an area resident.

By press time the baby was still in the hands of the hospital authorities ostensibly waiting for police investigations.

"She is going to be given some medical attention  since staying in latrines for unknown hours would have infected her,” said one retired nurse.

Ends