The Benue State Police Command has apprehended Sughshater Ushahemba, a resident of Mbadyur ward in Logo Local Government Area, for allegedly poisoning her 11-month-old child.
Community members reported that on early Saturday morning, the woman purportedly fed the infant with a substance that appeared to be a chemical.
Contrary to community accounts, the mother claimed that the infant passed away early on Saturday morning due to a high temperature.
In an interview on Monday, Logo LGA Information Officer, Paul Pevikyaa, revealed that the woman had earlier informed people that the baby fell ill at 12:31 am but changed her tune after two hours of interrogation.
“When the woman was interviewed, she (the woman) said when they were asleep, around 12.31 am, the baby started having a high fever and that the body was so hot that she gave up within two hours.
“She said that the mistake she made was at daybreak; she failed to inform her neighbors of what happened in the night because there is a strong belief that when you have neighbors and when you are having difficulties at night, at least you can call your neighbors to help you and they can be your witness. But she never did that,”
“So when day broke, she now attempted burying the baby. The baby is 11 months old, Pevikyaa stated.
Pevikyaa also said that when people were not convinced by her report, they continued to question her and later confessed real reason she killed her child.
He added that the young woman said she was impregnated by her boyfriend and after she gave birth to a baby girl, the boy abandoned her with the child.
“She said she had been suffering with the child and that was why she poison the baby by giving her chemical that is used to spray grasses,” Pevikyaa said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident, emphasizing that the suspect is currently in custody.
