23-years-old Enugu Woman Jailed 3 Years for Stealing 4-Month-Old Baby

A mother’s decision to accept a stranger’s offer to help carry her four-month-old baby ended in a frightening ordeal. Four days later, police rescued the child, while the woman responsible has now been sentenced to prison.

A 23-year-old woman, Chinenye Odoh, has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for stealing a four-month-old baby in Enugu State after allegedly deceiving the child’s mother.

Odoh was convicted by the Enugu Magistrate Court after pleading guilty to charges of conspiracy and child stealing.

The baby was eventually rescued by the police four days after the incident and reunited with his parents.

According to the Enugu State Police Command, the incident occurred on October 20, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m., when the suspect allegedly approached the baby’s mother under the guise of an ordinary customer.

Odoh reportedly offered to help carry the baby while the mother went to purchase an item from a nearby shop. However, she allegedly took advantage of the opportunity and disappeared with the child.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect switched off her phone after taking the baby and allegedly worked with her younger sister, who is currently at large.

The two sisters reportedly presented the baby to family members in Ubahu, Nkanu East Local Government Area, claiming that the child belonged to Odoh.

Following a report of the incident, the police launched an investigation involving detectives from the State Intelligence Department, officers of the Amechi-Idodo Police Division and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group.

Their efforts eventually led to the recovery of the missing baby at Idume, Amankanu, in Nkanu East LGA, on October 24, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m.

The child was rescued safely and subsequently reunited with his parents.

Ndukwe explained that the suspect was arraigned before the Enugu Magistrate Court after the conclusion of investigations and prosecuted by a police prosecutor from the Command’s Legal Section.

Odoh was convicted on October 29, 2026, after pleading guilty. The court sentenced her to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and another three years for child stealing, with both sentences to run concurrently.

Consequently, she will serve a total of three years in prison rather than six years.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the officers involved in the investigation, members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and the prosecution team for their contributions to the successful recovery of the child and prosecution of the suspect.

He also praised the court for the speedy dispensation of justice.

The police commissioner urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and prioritise the safety of their children, particularly when dealing with people they do not know or fully trust.

He further advised members of the public to promptly report cases of missing children to the police to ensure swift intervention.

The incident highlights the dangers of leaving young children in the care of strangers, even when their offers of assistance appear harmless.