Aweil woman dumps baby into pit latrine

By Hou Akot Hou

A woman has been arrested by police in Aweil town for dumping on Wednesday her newly born baby into a pit latrine in Mathiang residential area.

Wol Wol Aken, the Director for Aweil Civil Hospital said that the baby of the woman whose identity remains anonymous was rescued by well-wishers and is currently being nursed by medics attached with Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) in Aweil hospital.

 “The baby was found in the pit latrine on Wednesday and brought here, now MSF and our doctors are closely monitoring the baby,” Wol told Juba Echo in Aweil town on Thursday.

 “The witnesses were surprised at the news and got dumbfounded till they informed the local authorities who rushed to the scene and excavated the child. He is being nursed and taken care of using nutritious food to allow him recover,” he added.

Wol said investigations are still ongoing to find out the reasons that caused the woman to dump her baby in the pit latrine.

One of the eye witnesses, who didn’t want to be named, said they heard the baby wailing in the pit latrine and informed the public.

“I appeal to our depressed women out there not to attempt such things even if the situation becomes untenable during this economic hardship,” the eyewitness said.

Last month a woman in Aweil North County aborted and left the fetus at the premises of Mayen-Ulem primary health care center.

Locals in and around Aweil town blame such incidents on poverty and domestic violence.