Mother in Gulhi accused of trying to flush baby down the toilet after inducing abortion

A woman in Kaafu Gulhi has been accused of attempting to flush her infant child down the toilet, soon after giving birth by inducing abortion through a strong injection.

The baby, who was dead by the time it was taken to the island's health centre, is said to have been conceived out of wedlock.

Maldives Police Service has confirmed that such an incident was reported to the Service.

A source from Kaafu Gulhi told Sun that the island came to know of the incident around 12:30 p.m., after the mother had called her sister-in-law to help her flush the child down the toilet, upon when the sister-in-law retrieved the child out of the toilet bowl.

“A large number of locals went to see the baby. The island’s midwife said the baby was born around 7 months. A girl from this house went to see [the baby] and told us that it had hands and eyes and all other organs. The island office informed the police. The woman had walked [without help] to the centre (health centre). The baby was taken to the health centre in a bucket,” the source said.

The women who took the baby from the toilet was summoned to the island’s council office, and asked to provide a statement, the source said.

“It is said that the baby’s mother had asked to keep this a secret and even asked [the sister-in-law] to bury the baby. But the sister-in-law apparently was too scared and told the island office, and the island office told the police,” the source said.

Person in-charge of the Gulhi Health Centre Mariyam Nadheema told Sun that baby was delivered before the due date and was already dead when it was brought to the Health Centre.