Woman faces raps for death of child

An 18-year-old woman was arrested yesterday for allegedly abandoning her newborn child at a river in Mananga 1, Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City last Tuesday morning.

PO1 Janet Marquez of the Women and Children Police Desk identified the woman as Geraldine Castro, a resident of the barangay.

Investigation revealed that Castro gave birth to the child at around 7 a.m. on Tuesday but Castro reportedly was not aware that she had a baby in her womb. She reportedly thought she simply gained weight and even jogged and drank liquor months prior.

In an interview, Castro admitted to leaving the baby at the river where she delivered him.

She said it was on Monday night when she suffered from stomach pains. The following morning, she went to the river supposedly to defecate because someone else was using their restroom. To her surprise, it was blood that came out, which was followed by the baby. She reportedly panicked and abandoned the child at the river.

It was only later that she told her father what happened and it was her father who searched for the child.

“Wala gyud ko kahibaw nganung nabuhat to nako… kung kahibaw palang gyud ko… kato lang, ngano na-ingon ato nako… naratol, nahadlok ko kay wala ko nitug-an nga buntis ko kay sa pagtuo nako, nanambok ra ko. Wala gyud to nako tuyua gyud,” Castro told reporters.

Her father, Joselito, found the child at the river but the baby was already dead.

Her mother, Anselma, admitted being suspicious of her daughter's physical changes but Castro reportedly denied she was pregnant and said her menstruation was regular.

Anselma said about the incident:

“Sakit kaayo para nako… kung nitug-an palang nga buntis… nakonsensya ko sa bata; pwerte nako hilak ug syagit, ‘nganung imo man to gibuhat?' Wala na ko kasabot sa akong gibati,” she said.

The family's neighbor, Alberto Abendan, 74, told the police that he saw Castro went to the river that morning with a plastic and, subsequently, saw her throwing the plastic into the water.

Marquez said charges of infanticide will be filed against Castro today.

“Mapriso gyud, file-an og kaso nga infanticide kay sa oras sa pagpanganak, alas 7, na-report ang bata alas 3:30, napay taas panahon… Mahug nga naay intention kay kung walay intention pagpanganak, gawas pa lang sa bata, paminaw nimo nga wala na siyay kinabuhi, gidali na sa hospital,” she said.

The baby's remains were buried at the Poblacion Public Cemetery.