Guyanese and Surinamese investigators are probing reports that a nine-day-old baby was kidnapped in the vicinity of the Port Mourant market at around midday on Saturday.
Up to yesterday afternoon, there was no word on the fate of the baby who was reportedly kidnapped by a Suriname-based woman. The baby’s mother Sandra Mclean called “Pinky,” 22, of Number 60 Village, Corentyne told Stabroek News that she gave birth to a baby boy on May 16th at the Skeldon Public Hospital.
She said that whilst at the hospital, a woman called Bibi Khan from Nickerie, Suriname visited her and told her that she had a nice baby.
On Saturday, Mclean said, she was making some preparations for the Ninth day celebrations when Khan hurriedly came to her home and told her to dress the baby and they were going to Rose Hall Town to get some items for the celebration.
Mclean recalled that they went to the town and picked up some items. Before they left to return home, they stopped at the Port Mourant market to get some hassar after the woman said she would like to have some. The young mother explained that she went in the market and bought the hassar after Khan insisted that she would keep the baby.
The woman had stated that if the baby was taken to the fish section of the market, he would be upset with the scent, Mclean recounted.
She said that she agreed and went to buy the hassar but upon returning to the meeting point, she realised that Khan and her baby was missing. Mclean said that she did not expect anything like this to happen. In tears, the mother recalled that she searched the entire market and surrounding areas for her baby. The woman said her efforts to find her baby were in vain.
After realising that the baby was missing, the woman alerted her family and went to the Whim Police station and reported the matter.
Asked how she knew Khan, Mclean told Stabroek News that she met the woman at the hospital. She explained the woman went to the hospital and asked for Sandra and was directed to her as she was the only Sandra in the maternity ward on May 14th. Mclean recounted that they chatted and the woman left and returned on May 16th when the child was born.
The visibly shaken Mclean added that the woman wore a khemar (Muslim headdress). On both occasions, she recounted, the woman went up to her bed and said “you have a nice baby I want to hold him.”
She said that the woman told her that she (Khan) has to “buy” the baby following traditions. She then placed $5000 under his blanket and then lifted the baby and kept saying that the baby is a lucky child. Mclean recalled that on Friday, the woman went to her home and gave the baby another $5000. During her stay at the home, she repeated that the baby is lucky and she loves the baby very much. When asked if she gave directions to her home to the woman, Mclean said no and explained that Khan told her that she loved the baby so much that she searched for them.
It was at that point that Khan asked if they were having a nine-day celebration and indicated that she would like to sponsor the celebration.
However, Mclean recalled that when they went to Rose Hall, the woman would send her to buy the items and she would hold the baby. During the entire trip, the mother recalled, Khan would say that she loved the child and he was a lucky baby. However, the mother said she began to feel a bit strange that the woman wanted to be with the baby all the time.
She had earlier said that the woman appeared to be someone genuine, caring and understanding and had gained her trust.
The woman is said to be in her fifties.
The child’s father Ravikan Bisnunauth has not seen his child since he was born as they were keeping up with the Hindu traditions. The boy is Mclean’s third child.
The family is asking persons with information or any idea of who the woman might be to inform the nearest police station.
