Woman Arrested After Dumping Three-Month-Old Baby in Pit Latrine

What the report says

Police in Nansana Municipality have arrested a woman and the father of her three-month-old baby after the child’s body was recovered from a pit latrine in Kawanda Central, according to Nile Post. The woman, identified as Sarah Namutebi, is alleged to have dumped the baby in the latrine, while the child was identified as Margret Nandawula, though residents said she was sometimes called Tyra Biyinzika.

The report says residents became concerned after noticing a strong foul smell and realizing the baby, who had reportedly been living with Namutebi, was no longer seen in the area. They alerted local leaders, including Kawanda Central LC1 chairperson Abdul Muwaya, who then called police. Officers from Kawempe, together with firefighters, later recovered the body from the pit latrine.

Residents told police that Namutebi said the baby had died and that she had placed the body in the latrine because she had nowhere else to take it. The article also notes that some residents were shocked because they had often seen Namutebi with the child, including taking her to hospital. Claims that she had previously struggled to care for other children were mentioned but not independently verified.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said Namutebi and the child’s father, George Sendawula, were being held to assist with investigations. The body was taken to Mulago Hospital mortuary for a postmortem as police continue to examine the circumstances of the child’s death and disposal.