Mombasa police recover stolen baby

A newborn reported stolen in Mombasa three days ago has been found.

After a two-day search led by a multi-agency team, a woman was yesterday found with the days-old baby who was reportedly taken outside Mikindani Health Centre.

Officers said the baby looked weak and hungry, and was taken to Port Reitz Hospital. He was put on a drip before being reunited with his mother, as the police took the suspect into custody.

Jomvu Deputy Police Commander Johnson Polloh told The Standard they were holding a 21-year-old woman in connection with the incident.

The suspect, Mr Polloh said, is expected to be arraigned in court today. He said she was identified after detectives reviewed CCTV footage outside the health centre.

Officers said the mother was admitted on January 5 after she went into labour. She gave birth the following day and was discharged on Tuesday at around 5pm.

The new mother told the police that she had asked the suspect to help her carry the baby because she was still weak. On reaching Kijiweni stage, the mother reportedly asked the woman to wait for her as she returned to the health centre to pick up some medicine that she had forgotten.

"The suspect told us she waited until 8pm before she went home. She said she expected the mother to pick up the child," said Polloh.

"We have heard the suspect's side of the story. Now we would like to hear from the child's mother, too, so that we can compare notes."

Earlier, Robin Mwenda, a medic, said the mother was with the suspect at the clinic and they left together. The mother, she said, later returned at 7pm, claiming her baby was missing.