Woman arrested for abandoning four-day-old baby

Ho, Jan. 14, GNA - Charity Atitsey, 29, of Ho, who abandoned her four-day- old baby girl in the bush near Frank Village at Afifekope in the Ho municipality upon the alleged prompting of an identified voice has been arrested by the Volta Regional Unit of the Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit (DVVSU).

Atitsey, mother of two who admitted the offence in a caution statement told the Police that the she heard two voices, one urging her to abandon the baby and commit suicide and the other cautioning her against the crime.

Police Lance Corporal Joy Afagbedzi of the Regional Police Public Relations Unit told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday that the Police were hinted on December 22 last year of a baby girl found in the bush by prisons officers and put in the care of the Regional Social Welfare Officer.

He said DVVSU officials went for the baby, sent her to the hospital and commenced investigations leading to the mother's arrest. Mr Afagbedzi said investigations revealed that Atitsey was impregnated by one Forster Kwashie, a driver in Ho but refused suggestions by her lover to perform the necessary rites to formally marry her.

He said Atitsey rather demanded money to abort the pregnancy leading to a misunderstanding between the two and a subsequent loss of contact until she committed the crime. Mr Afagbedzi said the baby, delivered on December 18, was doing well while Atitsey had been released on police enquiry bail and would be put before court after investigations.