Baby boy found floating in drain, mother arrested

Police have arrested 18-year-old Martha Miguel of Jango Street, Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo, who allegedly killed her one-year, nine-month-old son on Friday night.

The News Room understands that the child, Ekron Miguel was found dead in a drain at Jango Street, Parika. He was born with two disabilities – he could not walk or speak.

The mother told the police that she and the child were returning home from Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, when he started to cry as they were walking through Jango Street and she suspected that he was hungry.

As a result, she claimed she put him down at the side of the road and wrapped him a blanket and left him there, while she went by a friend’s house to get some tea for him. She reportedly told the friend that if her son doesn’t get anything to eat, he will die.

But when the friend started to question her about the whereabouts of the child, she attempted to escape and jumped into the nearby canal. The young mother was subsequently apprehended by the friend, who then informed her brother of the incident.

The brother summoned the police; it was not until the police arrived and questioned her, that Miguel took them to a drain where her son’s lifeless body was found.

The child was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was pronounced dead.