Mother arrested for dumping day-old baby

Acting Copperbelt commissioner of police Joyce Kasosa confirmed the development in an interview yesterday and named the suspect as Gift Chanda, 21, unemployed, of house number X291, Lubengele township in Chililabombwe.
Ms Kasosa said the incident happened last Friday around 23.00 hours.
She said Chanda dumped her newly born baby girl in the drainage near her house soon after delivering before rainy water swept away the infant.
“The suspect gave birth at home around 22.00 hours on Friday but later on decided to dump the baby in the drainage near her house.
“She has been charged with infanticide, contrary to Section 203 Chapter 87 of the Penal Code of the laws of Zambia,” Ms Kasosa noted.
She said the body of the baby was found in a furrow in the second class area of town where it got trapped after being swept away by a current of rain water.
Ms Kasosa said police picked the body of the baby and took it to Kakoso clinic for a disposal record and opened a docket for the mother, who was not yet arrested at the time.
She said Chanda told police that she had decided to dump the baby as she had no means of supporting it since the father had denied responsibility.
Chanda has two other children.

Zambia Daily Mail