Picture of a Pit Latrine - COURTESY

A newly-born baby boy has been rescued at the Lologo suburb in Juba after the mother dumped him into a pit latrine, witnesses said.

Eyewitnesses confirm to Eye Radio, a 19-year-old woman delivered in the early hours of Tuesday before disposing of the baby in a latrine without the knowledge of her family members.

The incident was discovered by residents in the neighborhood, according to two rescuers.

“I found some people seated next to the toilet, someone gave birth to a child and dumped the child inside the pit larine, there is blood outside the pit latrine, and the child is still alive,” one witness who declined to be identified told Eye Radio.

“At around 6 am, we opened the toilet to remove the child, and it was very difficult. We opened a small hole to bring the child out, it is true the child took long inside the pit latrine,” said another.

After the rescue, the baby was taken to Lologo One Primary Healthcare Center for first aid, and later taken to Juba Teaching Hospital for further medical attention.

Okongo Ceaser, a registered nurse at Lologo One Health Center said the baby is in good health.

“The young lady I don’t know what exactly she has been planning but she tried to avoid the child but unfortunately, the child came alive in the latrine, so we sent our team to rescue the child,” Ceaser narrated.

“The child was brought to the facility at Lologo One, and we worked on the child and at the moment as I am talking, the child is now well there is no problem.”

According to the baby’s grandmother, her daughter did not disclose to the family that she was pregnant.

“She was in the village and has just come to see her uncle in Juba so a few days ago she came to see me,” said the family member whose name is concealed to protect her privacy.

“I am always not staying at home because I am working so I did not know that she was pregnant as you know very well the issue of ladies these days that they are putting on trousers.”

“I asked why you are putting on the trousers every time, but she said she just wants to put it on like that, so we never know that she is hiding the baby.”

The young mother is reportedly being held in a local police station for questioning.

Cases of babies dumped in gutters and pit latrines are commonly reported across the country.

Early this month, Police in Rumbek town of Lakes State launched a search for a mother who dumped her newborn baby girl in a pit latrine at the state hospital.

According to the State Police, a woman reported to the health facility late evening when the nurses attended to her before taking her details.

After giving birth, the lactating mother escaped from the maternity ward while the nurses attended to another critical case.