A 15-year-old girl in Otukpo has narrated how she abandoned her newborn baby by the roadside out of fear that her father would beat her and her mother if the child was brought home.
According to the teenager, identified as Favour, she was taken to the area by a commercial motorcyclist where she dropped the baby in a bag and left. The infant was later discovered crying in a bush near the Anmoda area during rainfall by residents returning from church service.
Humanitarian worker and activist Meddy Olotu, who led efforts to rescue the baby and trace the mother, visited the location and the orphanage where the child is now receiving care. He described the baby as beautiful and vowed to continue monitoring her welfare.
The girl and her mother were tracked down following days of investigation. During questioning, the teenager revealed she acted out of fear of her father’s reaction. The incident has drawn attention to the challenges faced by young girls in similar situations in the area.
The newborn is currently safe in an orphanage.
