Sympathisers save toddler from suspected lunatic mother

SYMPATHISERS, on Sunday, rescued a nine-month-old male child from being killed by his mother, suspected to be a lunatic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered from eyewitnesses that the mother pummelled the child because he tried to get some food and water from his mother while she was eating and drinking.

The incident occurred at a roadside in Ugwuachara, on the outskirts of Abakaliki, from where the child’s persistent cry attracted sympathisers.

NAN learnt that the woman ate the food and water given to her by someone and refused to give the child.

Witnesses said that when the child tried to grab some, the mother beat him instead and his cry attracted passers-by.

One of the sympathisers, Mr Sunday Ebe, told NAN that the situation forced some sympathisers to the scene to retrieve the child from the woman, in order to prevent the baby from being injured.

“We later took the child to Reverend Father Abraham Nwali, the Ebonyi State governor’s Senior Special Adviser on Religion and Welfare Matters, at the Catholic Bishop’s Court, Abakaliki.

“The wailing of the child further attracted the sympathy of Reverend Sister Cecilia Chukwu, Executive Director of Succour and Development Initiative, Abakaliki.

“She directed her assistant to give the child a warm bath, food and provide him clothing and other immediate needs,” Ebe said.

NAN reported that Nwali, while receiving the baby, inquired about the mental state of the woman to avoid insinuations of kidnapping or child trafficking over the incident.

“The people who brought the child to this place should bring the woman to be examined medically and offered medical treatment,” he said.

Nwali later followed the sympathisers to the scene and met the woman sleeping.

He asked a nurse to wake the woman and give her food and water.

The woman was later taken to a hospital for medical treatment, while the child was returned to her to be breastfed under the watchful eyes of hospital staff.