On Sunday, residents of Oyede Avenue Plaza in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State made a distressing discovery as they stumbled upon the decomposing body of a newborn baby in their community.
According to a police source, the mother of the baby girl, identified as 21-year-old Esther Ojuko, allegedly killed the infant by wrapping her in a sack and discarding her into a nearby compound.
Details about the exact age of the deceased baby at the time of the incident remain unclear. The state police command suggested that Esther Ojuko might have been mentally unbalanced during the commission of the crime, adding a layer of complexity to the tragic event.
We gathered from the command that when a stench dominated the area, some residents began combing the surroundings to find out the source of the unpleasant smell.
Our correspondent gathered that a resident later discovered that the stench was emanating from a sack behind a compound in the area.
While the residents unfolded the sack, they were greeted with shock after they found the decomposing body of the newborn tightly wrapped.
Upon discovery, one of the residents, identified simply as Ogunmuyiwa, was said to have approached the Sango-Ota Police Division to report the incident.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Monday, said the mother had been arrested.
“The mother is in our custody for suspected murder. We have begun a full investigation into the circumstances behind her action.
“In the meantime, the deceased baby has been deposited at the Ifo General Hospital mortuary for autopsy,” she told our correspondent via WhatsApp message on Monday.
