By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
POLICE are still searching for the mother of a newborn baby boy found alive in the back of a local church over the weekend with his umbilical cord still attached.
According to initial reports, shortly after 11am on Saturday, police received a tip from an anonymous caller who told them that construction workers at the Church of the Nazarene had found the infant wrapped in a blanket.
“Officers responded and on their arrival, they were shown a male infant with its umbilical cord still attached,” police said.
“The child was taken to hospital for medical attention. Investigations into this matter continue.”
Yesterday, Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters told The Tribune police are not following any new leads at the moment.
Last night, the Department of Social Services said the baby boy appears to be four-days-old. The infant is “resting comfortably in the Children’s Ward at the Princess Margaret Hospital,” a statement from the department added.
The statement said pregnant women who may need assistance can reach out to Social Services hotlines free of charge.
“We wish to advise that this incident may not be connected to the COVID-19 pandemic because similar incidents have happened before,” the department said.
“Pregnant women, their relatives or friends are advised that there is assistance available through the Department of Social Services Hotlines, 322-2763 or 422-2763. This service is provided free of charge.
“The Department of Social Services along with its partners at the Royal Bahamas Police Force requests the assistance of the public in locating the infant’s mother, so as to ensure that she receives the requisite medical care,” the statement added.
On Saturday, a video showing the young baby crying on the ground sparked outrage on social media. In the short clip, a man could be heard sharing the location of the baby boy with someone over the phone. Speaking about the incident online, one Facebook user posted: “What is wrong with us as a people in this country? How can we be so cold hearted and heartless to do these unspeakable things? I don’t know your situation, but whoever you are who walked away from that baby...I hope you get the help you surely need. I don’t understand for the life of me how some women can have no feelings or care towards their own child.”
However, other users empathised with the mother of the young child.
Another Facebook comment read: “I hope that the mother seeks medical attention. Next, people please be merciful. The mom could be a distressed teenager, from an abusive home. She could have been raped. There are so many possibilities, we should not pass judgement on her. Let’s pray for her and thank God she did not take the life of the infant. There is plenty of hope for mom.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 919 or the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991.
Comments
JokeyJack 3 years, 4 months ago
"shortly after 11am on Saturday, police received a tip from an anonymous caller who told them that construction workers at the Church of the Nazarene had found the infant wrapped in a blanket."
So we are becoming as STUPID as people in the USA apparently. Over there ANYTHING that happens anywise out of the normal results in a 911 call to the POLICE. Americans have this like an instant reflex action now.
This was clearly a medical situation. An ambulance or a doctor (if someone knew one in the neighborhood) should have been called. What were the police going to do? Put handcuffs on the infant?
Also, the responses above from Social Services tell you all you need to know to understand WHY the mother did this. Firstly, the police are looking for her (why????). Secondly Social Services does not say (or even hint) at what kind of help someone might receive if they call one of the listed numbers. It just says that there is assistance available and that it is provided free of charge. I wouldn't call those numbers, only knowing that.
People have NO MONEY. Why doesn't anyone understand that? I personally know people in Nassau who are living without food or water. I've helped what I can. They have sought help from numerous places. What was this mother supposed to feed her child?
I was impressed that the article does at least mention the possibility that it is a teenage mother who may be from an abusive family and/or may have been raped. Hopefully she will look up pregnancy stuff online and realize that the placenta needs to be removed.
Of course, no doctor can now help her with that because if it is ever found out that he/she helped her and did not report her to the police then the doctor may go to jail.
Are we living in Saudi Arabia here????????????????? Women are the lowest dogs in this country, treated worse than junk yard dogs.
FrustratedBusinessman 3 years, 4 months ago
I highly doubt that she would be charged if she went to the police, given the circumstances of this case. It was probably a situation where post-partum depression was involved, and the Crown would definitely take that into account. Sad what our country is coming to.
I agree with much of what you write, but will disagree with you on this line :
"Are we living in Saudi Arabia here????????????????? Women are the lowest dogs in this country, treated worse than junk yard dogs."
In Saudi Arabia, women certainly aren't writing articles demanding to compromise 50% of corporate boardroom positions, or comprise 50% of elected MPs for the mere fact that they have a vagina. Women here have the same rights and privileges as men albeit the citizenship issue which this government is going aiming to rectify. To be honest, I wish they would eliminate the pathway to citizenship through marriage completely (for men and women), the Bahamas is as overpopulated as it is and we don't have the room nor resources for too many more.
We really do not need to import the American made up grievance culture over here with hyperbole like this.
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 4 months ago
People abandon babies for a whole range of reasons. Fir example postpartum depression isnt a term commonly heard in our islands, but COVID has shown us lots of examples of mental stresses we havent seen before. The inappropriate use of lock down powers hasn't helped.
stillwaters 3 years, 4 months ago
Everybody seems to be skirting over the idea of birth control pills or devices for these young ladies.
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