Abandoned infant put in foster home

 AN infant abandoned in East New Britain two weeks ago by her mother will be placed in a foster home, a community development officer says.

The female tot, yet to be named, is at the St Mary’s Vunapope Hospital’s nursery.

A temporary protection order was obtained from the court on Oct 17 by Philip Kuamin, a senior child protection officer with the Community Development Division.

She was brought to the hospital by a couple in Clifton, Kokopo. Ekase Isave and wife Sandy Otoloi said a man had handed them the baby at around 3am on Wednesday, Oct 16. 

They had not seen the man before and have not seen him since. But he told the couple that he was looking for a friend and because he was not around, he decided to give them the baby for her own safety.

She was covered in dirt and the umbilical cord was still attached to her.

The baby was about 24-hrs-old and weighed 2.7 kg.

Kuamin said a hearing on the case was scheduled for Nov 18 at the Family Court in Kokopo to decide on the baby girl’s new home.

Kuamin has reported the matter to the police so that the mother could be traced.