Police in Kasungu have arrested Grace Nasala Chimbewa, 39, for abandoning her one-month-old baby girl.

Kasungu Police Station spokesperson Joseph Kachikho said the suspect gave birth to a baby girl on September 13 this year at her house and the second week of October the baby got sick but the suspect never bothered to take her to hospital for medical attention until on October 15 when the baby died.

Kachikho said the woman never informed anyone about the death of the baby and was telling visitors that they could not see the baby because she was sleeping until October 18 when the elderly women and block leaders forced her to see the baby after suspicions and discovered that she was dead.

He said the village headman was informed about the matter and ordered for burial as the body was in a decomposed state.

“The woman will appear before court to answer a case of abandonment of a child contrary to Section 232(A) of the Penal Code,” said Kachikho.

Chimbewa hails from Chamasowa Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Chimaliro in Thyolo District.