A 21-YEAR-OLD woman of Lusaka has been detained in police custody after she allegedly stole a one day old baby boy from his mother.

Monica Tembo of Chazanga township is believed to have pretended to assist Cecilia Siame Chanda aged 20 with her baby as she was being discharged.

Ms Chanda was waiting for relatives after giving birth inside the premises of Matero level one Hospital, when the suspect approached her and lied telling her that relatives had come.

The suspect is alleged to pretend to assist the victim by holding her baby and walked outside.

Police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga said the incident occurred today at around 09:00 hours at Matero level one Hospital.

“Brief facts of the matter are that Cecilia Siame Chanda was admitted to the hospital on August 5, 2023 and delivered a baby boy on August 6, 2023 at 06:35 hours .When today she was discharged and whilst waiting for relatives to pick her up, a woman went to her in the labour ward and cheated her that the relatives had come and were outside. She offered to assist her in carrying the baby and when they went outside she didn’t find the relatives,” he said.

He said that the suspect then told her that the relatives had taken too long to get a tax and told her to go back in the labour ward and see the nurses so that she gets instructions on how to use the medicine.

Mr Hamoonga explained that when the baby’s mother went back, she discovered that the woman had disappeared with her baby and she informed the medical staffs who quickly went to the taxi rank and confirmed that a lady carrying a baby had booked a taxi .

“She was followed until she was apprehended and the baby recovered from her in Chazanga Township. The suspect Monica Maureen Tembo aged 21 has since been arrested and charged for the offence of Child stealing,” he said.