Witnesses debunk claims young girl killed 6-month baby in Tiko

Witnesses have dismissed as fake information circulating that a young woman, allegedly drugged her six-month-old baby and later strangled him to death in Tiko, Southwest region.

Neighbours of Kanye Sanam Dian, the young woman in question, including her landlord, have refuted reports that she drugged and abandoned the deceased baby in the house to go clubbing.

Kante’s landlord, who was among the young girl’s co-tenants called up for questioning by the police, said he was rather stunned by the reports he saw on social media about what happened.

The landlord and other neighbors believe the false narratives could have been promoted by Kante Sanam’s grandmother-in-law who does not like her.

The six-month-old baby, whose name MMI got as Rayan Joseph, is reported to have died in the night Sunday, January 22, and people became aware of it in the morning.

The landlord said the last time he checked on the girl that night she and the baby were in the house, contrary to claims that she had abandoned him and went to a nightclub.

“The child was crying continuously (time had gone past 10pm) and I could not sleep. So I went and sought to know why the baby was crying. She did not open the door but she answered and told me the baby was sick and she had given him traditional medicine. I told her to see me for more medicines in the morning if the baby does not get better,” the landlord said.

He only got up in the morning to learn that the baby had died. He says he doesn’t suppose the young woman drugged her baby Rayan Joseph, who was sick at the time.

But the narratives that flooded social media platforms told a different story. Across the board, the reports said this nursing mother gave her baby an overdose of tramadol to get him sleep so that she could go out that night.

“I was at Mondoni and when I returned I got confused with the videos I saw. Social media is a mess,” the landlord added.

The false narrative raised much alarm both on and offline and people mobilised on Monday to beat and harass the young girl.

“The girl needs help, else she will die in detention,” a source who has been with her told MMI.

“I brought a nurse to take care of her at the brigade but they refused that she should not be injected. There is speculation that her cousin brother might have influenced investigators who are detaining her without charges in such a terrible health condition,” the source added.

Too quick to judge

One of those who have refuted the social media narratives about the Tiko incident is veteran Cameroonian actor, Alenne Menget.

Despite earlier believing the initial reports, Menget regretted in a video he posted on Tuesday, January 24, that he had been too quick to judge the young girl.

After recounting what he said he was told by a neighbor of the accused young girl, Alenne Menget said people must “follow trends before condemnation.”

“If this story is true, we have to be sympathetic, not just sympathetic, but find out every detail of the story before we make our comment, because sometimes it’s our comment that’s very derogatory, it’s our comments that push people into psychological trauma,” he said.

After the naming and shaming on social media, reports say the 20-year-old girl has been kept at the police station for further investigations.

The Kante Sanam Dian, said to be about 20 years old, was physically harassed and severely beaten by people, who had heard the one-sided narrative that flooded social media platforms.

Baby Rayan was buried at her father’s compound at Likomba, Tiko, on Monday, January 23.

Note: Mimi Mefo Info Team is still investigating this issue.

Our reports are based on reliable testimonials from all parties involved. We have not in anyway distorted any testimony from sources to drive a particular narrative.

More Updates to follow…..