A newborn baby boy’s miraculous survival has unfolded in Otuocha, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. The infant, just three days old, was discovered in a pit toilet after being abandoned by his mother.
And though the newborn baby survived for three grueling days without food, water or warmth, he died a few hours after his rescue.
According to reports from the Anambra Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, the 20-year-old mother, Nwaedoka Chidimma, who hails from Izzi, Ebonyi state, gave birth to the baby on Sunday, August 27, 2023, before making the heart-wrenching decision to dispose of him in the toilet.
The unfolding drama began when Chidimma, seeking refuge and lodging for a few days due to a farming job, approached her friend Esther Omesi, a local farmer.
Omesi noticed that Chidimma was acting oddly on that fateful Sunday, claiming she had stomach issues. It was then that she disappeared into the toilet.
Much to Omesi’s shock, Chidimma emerged from the toilet, her clothing stained with blood. Concerned for her friend, Omesi urgently summoned a nurse to assess Chidimma’s condition.
The nurse’s examination revealed that the baby was no longer with Chidimma.
Assuming it was a stillbirth, Omesi encouraged Chidimma to return to her parents and inform them of the situation.
However, the story took a remarkable twist on Tuesday morning, August 29, when the sound of a baby’s cry emanated from the pit toilet. With quick thinking, Omesi and others used a ladder to rescue the newborn, subsequently alerting the appropriate authorities.
Upon learning of the incident, Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, promptly intervened.
She ensured that the infant received immediate medical attention at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital Amaku Awka, while Chidimma was taken into custody as the prime suspect in this startling case.
