Woman sent to St Ann’s for abandoning child

GLORIA JOHN, a 26-year-old mother charged over the weekend with abandoning her newborn baby girl last week in Chaguanas, was yesterday remanded to the St Ann’s  Hospital by a magistrate. John pleaded guilty to the charge of child abandonment, and was remanded  by senior Magistrate Nannette Forde-John in the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court. Court prosecutor, Sgt Samlal, told the magistrate when WPC Gustav arrested and cautioned John, she reportedly told the policewoman, “I cyah lie about that, is my baby, I cut the navel string myself.” Magistrate Forde-John then ordered the woman to St Ann’s  Hospital for observation and a report on her medical condition before  passing  sentence on John. The matter was adjourned to November 12.

Samantie Ali, 40, who found the baby girl under a galvanised iron sheet last Wednesday in an empty lot of land at Rodney Road Extension, Endeavour, was present in court yesterday. Ali told Newsday she telephoned the Emergency Medical Services and the police after she found the baby naked and covered with blood and ants. Newsday asked Ali how she felt when John was remanded to St Ann’s. She replied, “I support the ruling because something seems definitely wrong with her (accused.)” Ali said she had decided to adopt the baby and raise her as her own child. Since the baby was found, she has been warded in a satisfactory condition at the Paediatric Ward of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex at Mount Hope.