‘Postpartum depression is real’
Cop issues warning as woman held after baby’s remains discovered
Published:Friday | March 25, 2022 | 12:05 AMRasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
Head of the St Catherine South police, Senior Superintendent Christopher Phillips, is imploring residents to be compassionate towards others who may be suffering from mental illnesses.
Phillips was speaking against the background of a St Catherine mother who allegedly disposed of her newborn by packaging it in a knapsack and leaving the child at a business place in Portmore on Monday, March 21.
“Whenever there is someone who is suffering from a mental sickness within a community, someone must have seen. We just need to be a little more sensitive to the issue,’’ Phillips said.
The police, he said, received reports that the woman, who is mentally challenged, visited Portmore Mall where she handed a knapsack to a woman and asked her to keep it for her.
The woman detected a foul odour and checks revealed that it was the partially burnt remains of a baby girl. The police were called in and the bag with the body recovered.
An investigation was launched, which resulted in the mother being picked up by the police. She has since been hospitalised while the investigations continue.
DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS
At the mall Tuesday, several people gave different accounts of what unfolded.
However, at the shop where the baby was left, the occupants did not turn up for work as the door was padlocked.
“Normally the place would have been open today, as for the last three years that I have been around the place always open, but this problem [baby scandal] may have caused them to get cold feet. The problem will soon gone hopefully,” a person said.
Medical officer of health for St Catherine, Dr Francia Prosper-Chen, said that there is a programme at the Ministry of Health and Wellness to help address the problem.
‘’The problem of postpartum depression is real and some women have been suffering. As a result, we do implore residents to inform us and we will be engaging our health educators to help with sensitisation,” Prosper-Chen said.
Postpartum depression is a psychological condition afflicting new and repeat mothers after giving birth.