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Newborn Found Dead on Anambra Church Grounds

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 15th, 2024.

Newborn Found Dead on Anambra Church Grounds

A tragic discovery was made in Anambra State when the body of a newborn baby, estimated to be only a day old, was found lifeless on the premises of an unnamed church on Engr Chukelu Street, Ububa South, Nkpor Agu, within the Idemili North Local Government Area.

The baby’s body was discovered early Monday morning, prompting speculation that the child may have been abandoned late Sunday night. Residents reported that the area around the church quickly became a focal point for the community, with many gathering to view the scene.

A two-minute video circulating on social media shows the abandoned baby covered with dried plantain leaves. The video calls for anyone with information about the baby’s mother to come forward and assist the police with their investigation. The Chief Security Officer of the Nkpor community, who narrated the video, urged anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the police.

The Chief Security Officer, Chris Udeze, described the situation upon their arrival: “We found the lifeless body of what appeared to be a one-day-old baby covered with leaves. We suspect the baby was left there on Sunday night, but we cannot confirm whether the baby was already dead or alive when abandoned. The police were notified, and the scene was inspected before the body was removed.”

Udeze also mentioned that the search for the baby’s mother has so far been unsuccessful. Community members are being asked to report any lactating women whose babies are missing, to aid in the investigation.

Resident Nkechi speculated that the baby might have been abandoned by someone who was unable to care for the child, leading to the baby’s death due to exposure. She noted that this was an unprecedented event in the area.

SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the state police spokesperson, expressed concern about the incident and promised to escalate the matter for further investigation. A source from the Ogidi Police Division confirmed that the baby’s body has been buried and that investigations are underway. The community is being asked to stay vigilant and report any relevant information to aid the ongoing inquiry.