Police in Kassanda District have arrested a woman suspected of stealing a newborn baby boy from Kassanda Health Centre IV, shortly after the child was delivered.
The suspect has been identified as Rachael Nanyonga, a resident of Kakondwe Village in Kitumbi Sub-county, Kassanda District.
According to Lameck Kigozi, the Wamala Regional Police Spokesperson, the incident occurred after expectant mother Annet Namulirwa arrived at Kassanda Health Centre IV on September 24, 2026, at around 10:00 p.m., reportedly experiencing labour pains.
Namulirwa was received by health workers, profiled and admitted for treatment.
At about 4:30 p.m. on September 25, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, bringing joy to her and her husband, Robert Ssekanwagi.
However, the joy was short-lived after the newborn was allegedly stolen from the postnatal ward by a woman who had reportedly been monitoring the mother and had allegedly pretended to be pregnant.
Namulirwa and her baby were transferred to the postnatal ward at about 6:00 p.m., where the mother later fell asleep. The baby was allegedly taken while her caretaker had briefly left the ward.
The incident caused panic at the health facility as staff and other people launched a search for the missing child.
A report of child stealing was subsequently made at Kassanda Police Station.
Police visited the ward, treated it as a scene of crime and documented it. Statements were also recorded from witnesses, while health-centre administrators and staff were interviewed as part of the investigation.
Kigozi said a security guard at the health centre told investigators that he had seen a woman leaving the facility carrying a baby along with some luggage.
Further scrutiny by health-centre staff reportedly led to the identification of the suspect as Rachael Nanyonga.
Police were alerted and launched a follow-up operation in Kakondwe Village, where Nanyonga was arrested. The stolen baby was recovered from her in good health.
“She confessed to stealing the baby, alleging that she had for long deceived her boyfriend that she was pregnant,” Kigozi said.
The suspect remains in police custody as her file is being processed for submission to the Resident State Attorney in Kassanda for sanctioning of a charge of child stealing.
