By Stefanus Nasham
Human rights and social expert Rosa Namises says baby dumping is often rooted in deep social and personal struggles faced by women, including abuse, unwanted pregnancies, rejection and a lack of support from partners and families.
Namises said society must look beyond the shocking circumstances of individual cases and confront the conditions that can drive women to abandon their newborn babies, while emphasising that such circumstances do not excuse the harm caused.
Her comments come after a mother allegedly abandoned her newborn daughter in a burning waste skip at Goreangab Dam in Windhoek, in an incident that has left residents horrified.
The baby was discovered on 30 October, near a soccer field at around 18:00 after children playing football reportedly heard cries coming from the burning waste skip.
The children alerted nearby adults, who went to investigate and subsequently notified the police.
One eyewitness said the fire had already claimed the baby’s life by the time residents reached the scene.
“When we arrived at the scene, it was too late to save the baby from the fire, as she was already dead. Our only option was to inform the police,” the eyewitness said.
Namises described baby dumping as a long-standing social problem requiring urgent attention, arguing that women may find themselves in circumstances that leave them emotionally and socially vulnerable.
She cited unwanted pregnancies, rape, rejection, HIV/AIDS-related challenges, threats and the absence of support from fathers and family members among the issues that can contribute to such situations.
“This is a long-standing issue in our society that requires urgent attention. It is difficult for me to understand how a woman who loves her child can abandon it. Such actions must stem from extreme circumstances,” she said.
Namises also pointed to the influence of families and wider society, saying the response to vulnerable mothers should include understanding the circumstances surrounding unwanted pregnancies and childbirth.
Social work student Selma Nandago similarly identified financial difficulties, lack of support, psychological distress, absent fathers, denial of parental responsibility, emotional pressure and substance abuse as possible factors behind baby abandonment.
She said although mothers generally develop strong emotional bonds with their newborns, difficult circumstances can leave some women overwhelmed and traumatised.
Nandago urged women facing unwanted pregnancies or difficult circumstances after childbirth to seek assistance rather than abandon their babies.
“Regardless of her situation, I wish she would have placed the baby in a safer location, such as a church, school, hospital, or a social services office, instead of abandoning her in a deep waste skip and setting her on fire,” she said.
Meanwhile, chief inspector Genius Neliwa, the Wanaheda Police Station commander, confirmed that police officers were dispatched to the scene but said he could not provide extensive details because of the sensitivity of the matter and ongoing investigations.
He said police had received information about a young pregnant woman who was last seen without her pregnancy after reportedly disappearing from the area.
“We cannot confirm her arrest at this time,” Neliwa said.
He confirmed that the baby had died and that the body was taken to the police mortuary as investigations continued.
Neliwa said police still had several procedures to complete, including opening a case and conducting further investigations, adding that more information would be released as the investigation progressed.
Residents described the incident as horrifying, saying they had never witnessed anything similar in their community.
“I have never seen anything like it. It has left many of us with so many unanswered questions,” said resident Josef Amaambo.
The incident has renewed concerns about the circumstances surrounding baby abandonment and the support available to women facing unwanted pregnancies, abuse and difficult family situations.
Efforts to obtain further comment from the Gender-Based Violence unit were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
