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Baby dies in ‘drunk’ mother’s arms

Nikanor Nangolo
A two-month-old baby died in her allegedly drunk mother’s arms on Sunday.

The deceased, identified as Makena Waltroud Muronga, was discovered in the early hours of the morning, and is believed to have suffocated.

Namibian Police acting regional commander, Deputy Commissioner Eino Nambahu, confirmed the incident, which took place around 01:00 at Shakambu village in the Kavango East Region. Preliminary reports suggest that the woman - who was reportedly under the influence of alcohol - fell asleep while breastfeeding the baby.

"It is further alleged that the woman’s boyfriend arrived home in the morning hours and found his girlfriend deep asleep with part of her arm on the baby's neck and her breast covering [the baby’s] mouth and nose," Nambahu said.

“It is believed that the mother was under the influence of alcohol at the time she went to bed, causing suffocation of her two-month-old daughter in the feeding process.”

According to Nambahu, the boyfriend said he saw a white substance leaking from the baby’s mouth, believed to be milk from breastfeeding.

Police investigations continue.

Namibia's alcohol problem

This incident comes less than a month after Namibian Sun reported that a Gobabis mother, who allegedly lost her four-year-old daughter while she was under the influence of alcohol, had been unable to recall where she left her child.

Maliana Geingos, who speaks Khoekhoegowab, was last seen at the town on 28 May. She was only officially reported missing to the police a week later.

In 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that Namibia was among the countries with the highest level of per capita alcohol dependence in Africa. More than half of Namibian adults consume an average of 10 litres of alcohol per day, with a large proportion of adult consumers of alcoholic beverages being women.

Home-brewed beer is the most widely used type of alcoholic beverage, which accounts for 67% of the total consumption in the northern regions of Namibia, the report stated.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-23

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