Police operatives in Isiokolo, Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State, have arrested a woman in Kokori community for allegedly beating her one-year-old son to death with a cane.
According to community sources, the woman, said to be emotionally unstable and overwhelmed by personal challenges, reportedly unleashed severe physical punishment on the child, leading to his death.
Witnesses said the child was not at fault but became a victim of what many described as the mother’s frustration and bitterness over the circumstances surrounding his birth.
It was gathered that the father of the baby, alleged to be an internet fraudster, had denied responsibility for the pregnancy, leaving the woman to fend for herself during and after childbirth.
“She often said the child reminded her of the man’s rejection. On the day of the incident, she beat the child mercilessly. Neighbours tried to intervene but it was too late. The child was confirmed dead before he could be taken to the hospital,” a resident told newsmen.
Locals expressed shock and anger over the tragic event, calling it an act of cruelty that should never happen again.
As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, has not responded to inquiries for an official statement.
