In a shocking incident in Anambra state, a newborn baby was rescued after being abandoned in a pit toilet for three days.

The mother, identified as Nwaedoka Chidimma, a 20-year-old lady from the Izzi community in Ebonyi State, was arrested for her alleged involvement in the act.

The incident came to light when the baby boy was miraculously rescued by residents on Tuesday who said they heard the child’s cry from the direction of the toilet.

A resident identified as Esther said: “Chidimma is my friend, she begged me to stay at my place for a few days because of a farming job she got. She was working on the farm when she suddenly started acting funny after she complained of stomach upset and went to the pit toilet to ease herself.

“After spending time in the toilet, she came out with drops of blood. I thought she had a stillbirth and I quickly invited a nurse who after examining her, disclosed that the baby was gone.

“I encouraged her to travel back home to her parents and notify them of the development because I thought she had a stillbirth.

“It was on Tuesday when we started hearing a baby’s cry that we quickly used a ladder to climb down the pit and rescued the newborn and immediately alerted security agencies and the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ify Obinabo, the state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, has taken over the situation and moved the child to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka for treatment and the mother has been arrested.

According to Obinabo, the child is in stable condition and the mother is helping police with their investigation.