23-year-old woman jailed after allegedly tricking mother and stealing her 4-month-old baby

She allegedly tricked the baby’s mother by offering to help carry the child before disappearing with him.

Police rescued the baby four days later in Nkanu East LGA and reunited him with his parents, while the suspect’s younger sister remains at large.

The Enugu Police Commissioner praised the officers and urged parents to be cautious about leaving children with strangers.

A 23-year-old woman, identified as Chinenye Odoh, has been sentenced to three years in prison after she admitted to stealing a four-month-old baby in Enugu State.

The Enugu Magistrate Court convicted Odoh after she pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and child stealing, bringing to an end a case that shocked many residents in the state.

According to the Enugu State Police Command, the incident happened on October 20, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m. The suspect reportedly approached the baby’s mother like an ordinary customer before offering to help carry the child while the mother went to buy something from a nearby shop.

Instead of waiting, Odoh allegedly disappeared with the baby.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said investigations later showed that the suspect switched off her phone after taking the child and worked together with her younger sister, who is still on the run.

According to the police, both sisters allegedly presented the baby to family members in Ubahu, Nkanu East Local Government Area, claiming the child belonged to Odoh.

The police swung into action after receiving a report. Detectives from the State Intelligence Department, alongside officers from the Amechi-Idodo Police Division and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, tracked down the suspect.

The missing baby was eventually found at Idume, Amankanu in Nkanu East LGA on October 24, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m., just four days after he was taken.

Thankfully, the child was rescued safely and reunited with his parents.

“Upon conclusion of the investigation, the suspect was arraigned before the Enugu Magistrate Court and prosecuted by a police prosecutor from the Legal Section,” Ndukwe said.

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

This means she will spend a total of three years behind bars, not six, because both jail terms will run at the same time.

Reacting to the judgment, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, praised the officers involved in the investigation, members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and the prosecuting team for ensuring the suspect was arrested, the baby recovered and the case successfully prosecuted.

Giwa also commended the court for the speedy dispensation of justice.

He urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant, prioritise their children’s safety, avoid leaving them in the care of untrusted persons and promptly report missing-child incidents to the police.

The case serves as another reminder for parents to be extremely careful when strangers offer to help carry or look after their children, no matter how harmless the gesture may appear.