Sharjah: Sharjah Police are on the hunt for the mother of an 18-month-old girl who allegedly abandoned her daughter at the house of another woman.
As part of an ongoing investigation, police have questioned five women who have been caring for the baby until it was handed over to authorities, police said on Monday.
Police determined the five women simply cared for the abandoned child and no charges were laid. The women were released.
The police originally detained the women, including the woman who reported the incident to Sharjah’s 24-hour child abuse helpline. All the women are Filipinos.
The incident took place on March 15, Mohammad Mubarak Al Gafli, head of the Child Helpline, told Gulf News on Monday.
The Filipina who lived in Al Qassimiya and had contacted the child helpline last Wednesday informed the helpline that a woman had left an 18-month-old girl at her house and she disappeared.
The Child Protection Department received the baby girl and lodged a complaint with Al Gharb police station who immediately launched an investigation to track down everyone involved in an attempt to locate the mother.
Police said they have yet to find the mother despite all attempts to track her down.
Having a child out of wedlock is illegal and a jailable offence following which the mother and child are usually deported, police said. The child is in good health police said, and is being provided with all necessary medical and social care services.
