A 22-year-old woman from Kwekwe, Rumbidzai Gunhu, tragically lost her one-week-old baby to a stranger in what is suspected to be a case of kidnapping.
Gunhu was returning from the hospital with her infant when she encountered a woman who offered to help carry the baby.
Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, the spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Midlands Province, confirmed the incident. He said (via Southern Eye):
Yes, there is a case of kidnapping of a seven-day-old female infant to an unknown female adult who purported to assist the mother in carrying the baby from the Kwekwe District Hospital home.
He said Gunhu, of Mbizo, had gone to the hospital for post-natal care. Added Insp. Mahoko:
After the services, she left the post-natal care unit holding the baby and met an unknown female adult who offered to accompany her home assisting in carrying the baby.
On the way, the woman gave Gunhu ZiG20 to go and buy freezits while she remained holding the baby.
Gunhu returned after a few minutes and could not locate the woman and the baby.
Insp. Mahoko has appealed to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the woman and recovery of the baby to alert any nearest police station.
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