Public asked to avoid passing judgement on mother of abandoned baby

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Members of the public are being asked not to condemn the mother of the baby who was found abandoned in a small cardboard box on a doorstep in Gray Hill on Saturday, without knowing the full details.

The caution came from Minister of Social Transformation Samantha Marshall after social media users leveled criticism against the (as yet unknown) mother of a now 12-day-old infant who is being cared for at the Mount St. John’s Medical Centre.

 “I think she did a very good thing by leaving the baby where she thought the baby would receive some level of care,” Marshall said.

She raised her concerns about the issue during an interview with OBSERVER media where she noted that people needed to know the circumstances in which the mother committed the act, before coming to a conclusion on the matter.

Marshall is also not too pleased with pronouncements that were made on state media by the police, regarding charges that could be laid against the mother.

She also believes the statements are a bit premature, given that the investigations have just started.

There are also many mitigating factors, including the mother’s mental, physical and financial ability to care for a child.

On Saturday morning, residents of a home in Gray Hill reportedly heard what they thought was a cat mewing outside their front door.

But the noise persisted and grew louder, prompting them to investigate and that’s when they made the shocking discovery.

The child was wearing only a baby top and the lower part of her body was wrapped in plastic.

Inside the box was a note reportedly stating, “Take my baby and take care of her. Born 21st March 2019”.

Immediately following the report of the incident on social media, some people indicated their willingness to foster the child. Minister Marshall said that decision would be up to the Family and Social Services Division, should relatives of the child not come forward.

She added that the Ministry of Social Transformation is doing what it can, but the matter will not become a major concern for it until “the hospital says it is okay and the baby can then be released”.

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