A 21-year old, Amudalat Taiwo, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for throwing her 12-day-old baby into a pit toilet in Ilaro, in the Yewa South Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect according to police was arrested following a complaint from her landlord, Oshunshina Olawale.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the landlord reported that one of his tenants on his 28, Isheri Street property, had gone to the latrine and heard the cries of a baby.
Based on the strength of the complaint, the Divisional Police Officer, Ilaro Police Division, Opebiyi Sunday, led detectives to the scene, where the latrine was broken and the baby rescued.
The suspect upon interrogation confessed to the crime and said poverty drove her to the act.
The PPRO said the suspect told the police that she was an orphan, adding that she got married to one Taiwo Owolabi, who was already married to another woman with whom he had five children.
Oyeyemi said, “She stated further that the husband had never taken care of her and the baby and since she had no means of catering to the newborn baby, she decided to do away with her.”
The police spokesperson said the alleged husband had been arrested for failure to provide necessary assistance and care for both mother and child.
The case has now been transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu.