In the early hours of a Sunday morning, the residents of Kpong suburb in Ayikpala, Eastern Region, were shaken by distressing news—a baby abandoned by her mother. This unfortunate incident is yet another heart-wrenching example of the inexplicable reasons behind infant desertions that have been occurring across the country.
Unlike the typical cases where abandoned infants are left unattended at rubbish dumps or in public toilets, this mother’s actions took an unexpected turn. She chose to leave her newborn baby girl at the doorstep of the resident pastor of the New Covenant Apostolic Church in Ahodwo, Kpong.
When the pastor (whose name remains undisclosed) woke up on that fateful morning, July 16th, 2023, he was met with a heart-rending sight—a helpless baby, wrapped in cloth, placed directly before his doorstep, along with a note that conveyed the mother’s distress.
Hon Raymond Gborson, the Assemblyman for the Kpong Ahodwo Electoral Area, was informed about the abandonment by the resident pastor in the early hours. According to him, the pastor’s family found the baby on the steps leading to their room. The note left by the mother indicated that the baby was born the previous night, July 15th, 2023, and was left there shortly after delivery, with the umbilical cord still uncut.
The newborn, fortunately, appeared healthy and was promptly taken to a local health facility, where a midwife expertly severed the umbilical cord and provided necessary medical care.
The note assumed to be a suicide note, expressed the mother’s desperate hope that the pastor’s family would care for her daughter as their own and provide her with a good life. However, it offered no personal details or clear explanations for her actions, except for mentioning her potential suicidal thoughts.
In her heart-wrenching words, the note read: “By the time you will finish reading this letter, I will be dead and gone, please take care of this baby as your own child. Please, I regret doing this, but that is the only way this baby can have a chance to live, please. She was born just yesterday night, please take care of her. I’m sorry please forgive me. God bless you.”
As of now, there is no information suggesting that the mother is from the local community. The police from Kpong were called to the scene, and together with the Assemblyman, they decided to leave the baby in the care of the pastor’s family temporarily. The authorities are now making arrangements to involve the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for the next steps in this delicate situation.
Mr. Raymond Gborson, while urging the public to help trace the mother and prevent any harm she might intend to inflict on herself, also hopes for the possibility of reuniting her with her child.
At present, the resident pastor remains unavailable for comments, leaving the community with a mix of emotions, as they try to comprehend the circumstances that led to this heartrending incident.
