The Police in Oyo State have arrested a 23-year-old lady, Itunu Adepoju, for allegedly absconding with a three-day-old female child after deceiving the baby’s mother.
The suspect, Itunu, had just suffered a stillbirth and was transferred to Abaemu General Hospital, Ona-Ora in Ibadan for a scan, where she met the mother of the child, 36-year-old Monsurat Lateef, who also came for her daughter’s immunization on Tuesday, July 19, 2022.
The suspect became friendly with the child’s mother, disclosing that she was planning to move to Ibadan from Lagos and was in dire need of accommodation.
Monsurat Lateef, driven by empathy, decided to assist the suspect with the house search. When the time had passed, she invited the suspect to her house to spend the night.
The child’s mother became too comfortable with this stranger, so when the suspect, who had backed her baby, told her she wanted to use the POS to withdraw money for rent, she agreed. Later, it dawned on her that she was deceived, and her baby was stolen.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the State Police Spokesperson, SP Adewale Osifeso, the suspect was nabbed by the eagle-eyed crack detectives attached to the Command’s Special Enquiry Bureau.
“Preliminary findings reveal that the mother, one Monsurat Lateef 36yrs of Itamerin Area, Ogbere, Ona Ara LGA delivered a Female Child on Saturday, July 16, 2022, to the delight of her family at Mission House, Yahora Faith Mission, Itamerin, Ogbere.
“On Tuesday, July 19, 2022, she proceeded to Abaemu General Hospital, Ona-Ora, to initiate immunization proceedings for her daughter, where she met the suspect who approached her as a friendly patient who also sought medical intervention.
“Unknowing to Monsurat, the suspect had just suffered a stillbirth and had been referred to the same health facility for a scan.
“They got chatting and the suspect indicated an interest in moving down to Ibadan from Lagos and was in dire need of accommodation. Monsurat Lateef, driven by empathy decided to oblige the total stranger by assisting her with the House search.
“In furtherance to the above, the complainant decided to invite her (the suspect) over to spend the night because the house searching had encroached into the late evening.
“In what seemed a premeditated action around 1300HRS, the suspect, who had now totally gained the confidence and trust of her host, pleaded to use a nearby Point of sales terminal with the three-day-old baby carefully tucked away on a back. The money she intended to collect according to her was sent to her by her Fiance to complete the rent process.
“The complainant, Monsurat Lateef, obliged the suspect before she later realized she had been tricked and that the suspect had absconded with her child.”
The Police believe that the suspect stole the child to replace hers, but an investigation is ongoing. The case would be charged to court upon its completion.
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