Onayena Police Station commander warrant officer Uusiku Magaeva confirmed the incident to The Namibian yesterday.

“The mother has not been arrested. She is still in hospital with the baby,” he said.

Sources claim the woman, who is allegedly a bartender, gave birth at Ekondo at Oshigambo, threw the baby into a thorn tree and went home.

“A passer-by heard the baby crying and went to observe. They found a baby being stung by ants. We called a nurse from Oshigambo clinic and she took the baby to the clinic. People later called the police and the mother was found,” the source yesterday said.

The baby is allegedly the woman’s fifth child.

The woman reportedly dumped the baby because her boyfriend is denying paternity.

Oniipa constituency councillor Vilho Nuuyango, who visited the scene, yesterday urged women not to abandon their babies, but to take them to a place of safety where they can be taken care of.

He also urged men to take responsibility for their actions.

This is the second record of baby dumping in the north this month.

Another newborn girl was allegedly buried alive earlier this month in a shallow grave by her mother (24) at Oupili village in the Ohangwena region.

She was admitted to the Okongo State Hospital.

According to the police, the woman buried her child shortly after giving birth.

The baby was rescued by police officers about four hours after the woman allegedly stuffed the baby into a plastic bag and filled it with soil.

It is alleged that the suspect gave birth to a baby girl without informing anyone in the house, and buried the baby among the shrubs next to her family’s mahangu field,” the police reported.

The mother was arrested and charged with concealment of birth.