Handcuffs - Courtesy

Police in Western Bahr el Ghazal State have arrested a 24-year-old woman suspected of drowning her newborn baby girl shortly after giving birth in Wau.

According to a report by Voice of Hope Radio, the suspect is currently in police custody and is expected to face legal proceedings once investigations are completed.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Major Suzanna Anthony Ubur, said the incident occurred on May 28 in the Eastern Bank area of Wau, where the newborn was allegedly abandoned and later found dead.

Police investigations identified the suspect as the child’s biological mother. Authorities said she reportedly went into hiding at a relative’s home after the incident but was later tracked down and arrested following an intensive investigation.

Major Suzanna said investigators established the suspect’s identity through mobile phone records with support from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) department and telecommunications provider MTN.

The suspect was arrested less than two weeks after the alleged incident.

Police further disclosed that the woman was in poor health at the time of her arrest and was transferred to a health facility for treatment. She is reported to be in stable condition while remaining under police supervision.

Major Suzanna commended the cooperation among security agencies involved in the investigation, saying their coordinated efforts led to the arrest.

In a separate case, she confirmed that another incident involving the disposal of a stillborn baby has already been referred to court for legal determination.

The Special Protection Unit warned that anyone found responsible for abandoning, harming, or unlawfully disposing of children will be held accountable under the law.

The two incidents, involving a newborn baby girl and a stillborn child, have raised concerns about child protection and the welfare of vulnerable children in Western Bahr el Ghazal State.

Police have urged the public to report cases of child abandonment, abuse, neglect, and violence to the relevant authorities.

Major Suzanna emphasized that protecting children is a shared responsibility and reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to ensuring justice and safeguarding children’s rights across the state.