Woman abandons baby after delivery

A healthy baby girl was abandoned by her mother who gave birth to her in a grassy area in barangay Cogon, Compostela town the other night.

Cogon barangay captain Joven Amor later identified the baby’s mother as a 22-year-old woman (name withheld).

It was learned that woman delivered her baby girl in the place all by herself. At around 7 p.m., residents nearby heard a baby crying.

The residents immediately checked the area and discovered the baby in stable condition. When Amor learned of the incident, he called up the municipal office of the Department of Social Welfare Division headed by Susan Paradiang.

The baby was then taken to the Danao City District Hospital.

Later that night, the newborn was turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Cebu City.

Amor said he went to see the woman in her house where the latter confirmed that she gave birth to the baby. The woman, according to Amor, admitted that she abandoned the baby immediately after giving birth because “she doesn’t know what to do with the infant.”

 “Nagluya pa man to siya pag-adto nako sa ilang balay. Nagkadugo ug luspad pa kaayo. Igo ra siyang miingon nga wala siya kahibalo kung unsa ang iyang buhaton sa bata maong iya na lang gibilin,” Amor said.

The woman’s family reportedly didn’t even know that she was pregnant of her second child. She has a two-year-old child from an unwanted pregnancy, this was also learned.

“Ang iyang anak kinamaguwangan ug kanang bata nga iyang gibilin, mga anak na sa lain-laing lalaki,” Amor said based on what the woman had told him.

“The barangay council and I are still studying on whether we are going to file charges for child abandonment against her, considering that she and her family are indigents,” Amor said. — Garry B. Lao/MEEV