By Nuusita Ashipala
ONGWEDIVA – While some mothers choose to dump and murder their infants, an unknown woman chose to drop her little baby with strangers in Oshakati-West on Friday and disappeared shortly thereafter.
The young boy who received the baby said they were playing outside with a friend when a woman approached them and asked them to hold her baby while she went to fetch her bags.
“She just came and greeted us, and then she asked if our parents were home. When we told her that our parents were not home she asked if we could hold her baby while she fetched her bags at a nearby house,” said 12-year-old Mathew Latoka.
According to Mathew the lady was with another young child who opted to stay with the baby while she fetched her bags, however the mother insisted that she (the child) go with her to fetch her things.
After several minutes of their waiting for the mother and the young girl’s return, the baby began crying and Mathew and his mate decided to take the baby to his elder siblings in the house.
“What could we do, we were equally surprised so we called the police to determine what to do next,” said Luise Latoka who spoke on behalf of the family.
According to Luise the mother left behind a blue plastic bag with the baby’s health passport, a jersey, trousers, socks and two disposable nappies.
Luise said the name of the residential village was scratched from the baby’s passport, but the health passport indicates the baby was born on 2 June 2014. The infant was admitted to the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital.
Luise said her family was indeed grateful that the mother at least gave the baby to people instead of dumping her somewhere in the town where she could have been exposed to the harsh weather.
“At least she gave them to people, some mothers would have dumped her in a bin and left the baby to endure the cold weather, but the baby was dressed and covered warmly,” said Luise.
Their mother Elina Latoka joyfully told New Era the little girl whom they named Twapewa Omagano was welcome in their home.
In addition, the family also plans to shower her with clothing.
According to the little boy who received the baby, the mother is short, light in complexion and was dressed in blue jeans and a yellow dotted top.