Higgler gets Christmas baby as bargain - Appeals for mercy for mom of abandoned newborn

An Oxford Mall Arcade vendor in downtown Kingston who cradled an abandoned newborn and turned her over to the police is appealing for compassion for the child’s mother.

Valerie Henry, a mother of three, was among the first whose attention was drawn to the baby left on the stall on Monday evening.

The baby, she said, was hungry and had messed herself.

Henry disputes the police report that a homeless man had discovered the child. An alarm was made by a handcart man who neighbouring vendors thought was joking when he alerted them to the child, she recounted.

“The guy weh carry the barrel constantly a talk say one baby down deh suh, but we nah pay him no mind. A when a next lady (Muffet) come with the baby ya suh ... , she end up give me the baby,” Henry told The Gleaner on Tuesday.

“I had her all along; in the police station, a me have her all the way,” she added.

An impromptu photo shoot unfolded inside the Denham Town Police Station as everyone gawked at the beautiful baby.

A variety of persons chipped in with charity, some purchasing powdered milk and others offering to change the baby. The newborn has been taken to the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

Though fascinated by the newborn, Henry said her livelihood is too hectic to juggle both baby and business as she seeks to cash in on the Yuletide shopping season.

“A Christmas now and a mostly town mi a go deh. Mi a go Falmouth weekend, so you have to have time for kids,” Henry said.

Her message to the child’s mother is simple and far from judgemental.

The vendor has urged the courts and the police to exercise mercy on the mother who, she believes, strategically placed the child on the stall to facilitate discovery.

“Me nah blame the mother. It’s best to hear two sides of a story,” she said.

Henry’s daughter, who spoke to our news team by phone, said that when she did not see her mom come home as the 10 p.m. curfew deadline grew closer, she became a bit concerned.

Other vendors said they were happy that the child was now safe and sound. Some of them have offered to adopt the child.

“People still a throw away baby and so much woman can’t get pregnant. This market is blessed, so from a here dem put it, the child is going to be strong and survive it all,” a higgler quipped Tuesday.

The Kingston West police are seeking the public’s assistance in finding the parents of the newborn.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Denham Town police at 876-922-6441 or 876-948-6443, police 119 emergency number, or the nearest police station.