Baby ‘abandoned by father’ dies

Her mother’s uncle accuses the father

LAHORE: An eight-month-old girl child died on Thursday a few hours after she was found lying unconscious in front of the house of her mother’s parents, according to an FIR registered with Mustafabad police on the complaint of Muhammad Awais, an uncle of her mother Rabia Ishaq.

Talking to The Express Tribune, complainant Awais alleged that the father of the child, Ehtisham Ali, must have abandoned her there.  He said the suspect had written the name of child and Tariq’s parents’ home address on the child’s shoulder.

He said the child was taken to a private clinic near the house but she couldn’t survive.

Earlier in April, Awais said an elder son of the couple had been found lying unconscious in front of the house. He said the boy had survived. He said the incident had taken place a few days after Ishaq’s decision to leave Ali and move to her parents’ house. He said Ali had not let her take along her two children.

Awais said that after the incident in April the family had communicated their concerns about the other child’s safety to the police. But, he said no action had been taken by the police.

Investigation Officer Amir Ali said the suspect had fled his house when a police team raided the place in April. He said they raided the place later as well but did not find him.

Ali said in order to determine the cause of her death the body of the child had been sent for an autopsy.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2015.