An 18-year-old mother attempted to kill her newborn baby because the baby was born without legs.
Grace Addobea gave birth successfully at home with the help of a traditional midwife in their village, Twifo Bonsaho, located in the Central Region.
However, the joy of childbirth quickly turned to distress when it was discovered that the baby had no legs.
News of the baby’s condition spread rapidly throughout the community, sparking widespread gossip and making the young mother feel very uncomfortable.
During her pregnancy, Grace had attended antenatal care at Wassa Ateiku Health Center, where she received several medical check-ups but was never informed of any deformity in the baby.
In her ninth month of pregnancy, she was told she lacked sufficient blood for a safe delivery and was referred to the Christian Hospital, commonly known as “Church,” also in Wassa Ateiku. There, a doctor assessed that the baby was in a breech position and recommended a C-section for delivery.
Despite this, Grace unexpectedly gave birth to a legless baby girl. The father of the baby, Paa Kwasi, abandoned them shortly afterward.
Struggling with the stigma and negative talk from the community, Grace attempted several times to kill both herself and her baby, but her parents intervened each time.
Her mother-in-law, Maame Effua Atta, instead of offering support, stated that she would have killed the baby if she had been the one to deliver it.
Grace’s father, Opanin Emmanuel Lartey, in an interview with Kasapa News’ Yaw Boagyan, made a heartfelt appeal to NGOs, individuals, the government, and religious groups to help ensure the survival and well-being of this special baby.