Woman arrested for stealing baby from Arua hospital

Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Arua has arrested a woman for allegedly stealing a one-day-old baby from Arua Regional Referral Hospital. The suspect is Night Bileru, a resident of Okokoro town council in Maracha district.

Jimmy Anguyo, the West Nile Region Child and Family Protection Unit Officer, says that Bileru allegedly stole the baby from the hospital ten days ago and disappeared with her to an unknown destination.

According to Anguyo, the suspect pretended to help the mother who was unable to take the baby for immunization after undergoing cesarean delivery.

The child’s mother Flavia was on February 10 referred from Logiri Health Centre III, where she had been booked for delivery to Arua Hospital.

He said the suspect was arrested from her home in Okokoro trading center where she was found with the child. She was later referred to Maracha central police station for further investigations before she was taken to Arua.

Gasper Atiku, the child’s father says that he is happy now that the baby boy has been found alive. According to Atiku, they had previously lost their firstborn during delivery.

According to police records, six cases of child theft have been reported at Arua Regional Referral Hospital since last year, but only three of the stolen babies have so far been recovered.

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