The state government, through the Office of the Public Defender, was said to have applied for a court order under the Child Rights Law.
After a clash with members of the Jehovah Witness who had mobilised to resist the rescue of the baby, the little girl was eventually taken to the hospital where the blood transfusion was done.
The Head of Public Affairs, OPD, Mahmud Hassan, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.
He noted that the child was born prematurely at a private hospital in Surulere to the family of one Mr Emmanuel Onokpise of Abata Close, Orile-Iganmu.
Hassan said the baby was discovered to be “severely jaundiced” and was recommended for blood transfusion to survive.
“However, the parents of the girl, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses and on medical insurance, vehemently opposed the blood transfusion for the baby, citing religious beliefs and contrary to medical advice, decided to discharge the baby and took her home.
“The critical health condition of the baby and the defiant position of her parents persuaded a spirited member of the public to inform the OPD to save the child from untimely death.
“The agency swung into action immediately, got the relevant court order by invoking the relevant sections of the Lagos Child Rights Law of 2015 and the Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy of 2016. In collaboration with the Nigeria Police, Adeniji-Adele and Orile stations, the baby was eventually taken from the parents’ home after stiff resistance from other mobilised members of the Jehovah Witness on December 30, 2019.
The OPD official said the baby, who weighed 2.2 kilogrammes at birth, weighed less than 1.7kg after being kept at home for one week and five days.
The Director of the OPD, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, during a visit to the baby, said no responsible government would allow any parent act ignorantly on religious grounds in a way that would be injurious to the life of any other person, especially children.
She said the rescued baby was enjoying free medical treatment in line with the current administration’s policy of free and qualitative medical services for residents.
The Jehovah’s Witness could not be reached for comment as their official line said they had closed for the day.
from Punch
*So someone will sit down and watch a baby they carried in the womb die because of religious beliefs?OMG!!!!
But why have they not rescued children they are chopping off their hands for stealing in the North? Does the Nigerian constitution allow that?
ReplyDeleteHypocrites.
Go and ask the northern authorities to rescue them. You can’t blame Lagos state for caring about their own.
DeleteAnd who said they are not been rescued...
DeleteSenseless comment
DeleteAre you a Jehovah witness? Kindly explain that no blood transfusion thing. Where does the belief stem from? As for not rescuing kids in the North, they are acting within their jurisdiction. Don't be surprised that the top echelon of the Jehovah witness take blood transfusion. That's how a pastor declared days of fasting and was caught eating by my madam. 😀 His defence,"make hunger no go kill me, my faith no carry am". Smh.
Delete@10:43. So LSGovt should go to the north and start rescuing kids there Abi? You don try gan ni
DeleteJehovah witness may sense fall on you.God gave us brain for a reason.Religion is the opium of the masses Karl max
DeleteLooking at our landlord's 2nd house, the signpost says JEHOVAH WITNESS NOY ALLOWED.
DeleteThey are evil, revengeful and uncooperative
The way some people practice religion is shocking. What a mentality!!!
ReplyDeleteDepriving a child what she needs to stay alive and knowingly let her die, what could be more wicked than that?
The other day, one woman died along with her baby because her "religion" forbids CS. It's such a pity though.
Sluttychic.
Please, which denomination is against cesarean delivery?
DeleteI think Stella should do a post on different denominations and their DOs and DON'T.
If you ask the parents now if they’ll make heaven they don’t even know.
ReplyDeleteAnd I heard JW has changed the rule,they said they accept blood transfusions now,these ones think they’ve sense.
Let the govt collect the child since they kukuma want her to die🙄
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DeleteVery heartless
DeleteI can't understand how a mother would watch her baby die, when there is remedy. To hell with that belief
Ask JW to show verses to butres their claim, you'd be surprised at what they'll spew.
Pls always read
PREtext
CONtext &
POSTtext .... for clearer understanding of the "WORD"
They always use Acts 15:20 to support their inhuman stance.
Infact Lagos State govt shld take that child away from them, cos they don't deserve it. They may even victimise the child as she grows up. Bunch of f**ls
Na wa o! This life, a baby my sister has been praying for and here is someone not appreciating God's gift. Thank God for timely intervention.
ReplyDelete#itwillendinpraise
They don't believe or celebrate Christmas but they accept rice, hampers. They take their children to abort pregnancies rather than have babies at home. My neighbor's daughter was impregnated by an elder in their JW congregation. The parents of the girl tried to abort the pregnancy to avoid being disgraced by the church. And my question was what of the 'elder" that did the work? No one said nothing. Very hypocritical cult. I say cult cause I watched them on IDX where they were designated such. One lady shared her experience of sexual abuse by elders from 5 to 18 when she rebelled. The shocking was that her mother knew and insisted she should endure.
ReplyDeleteAnybody can choose not to celebrate Christmas, personal decision and yes, no where in the Bible that make reference to it.
DeleteRejecting blood transfusion is just a stupid and backward thinking.
This is plain evil 😠😠 so they would have allowed that innocent child die? What a religion!
ReplyDeleteHmm Stella,I know someone that chose to die than receive blood transfusion during childbirth. She left her baby behind.the husband is raising the kids alone as we speak.
ReplyDeleteShe's just a wasted soul.
DeleteGod didn't send her message.
Nonsense people.... I always get sooo angry whenever I read news like this..that's how they allowed my aunty die cos of this same silly excuse..that woman was the best anty I've ever had both maternally and paternally. My cousins wonder why I've not called them for over 5years..
ReplyDeleteThe truth is I see all of them as murderers so I don't have any business with them again. They should continue worshipping their Jehovah
JW are wicked but your aunty was the best aunty?🤔
DeleteCan’t imagine the pain u went through knowing she could have been saved. I don’t like jehovah witness people
Deletepeople should be careful where and what God expects them to be his witnesses. The same God you're trying to be a witness to will not be happy if there's a means for someone to survive and you let the person die because you want to bear witness
ReplyDeleteStupid people with backward thinking. I don't know how religion make even educated people lose their brain.
ReplyDeleteCarry religion for head like expired gala .
I can't even fathom how heartless some of these Jehovah witness members are! A mother that carried a child in her womb will never watch her child breath their last when there are means of keeping the child alive.
ReplyDeleteJehovah witness is a cult. After one of my best friend married a Jehovah witness member, she cut me off. A relationship of more than fifteen years. Although she apologized and even cried before cutting me off her life but, I still feel bad for her and I'll never stop loving her.
Say no to religious extremism.
Ms A, that friend of yours wanted to cut you off not because of her new found religion, because I have Jw as friends even though I will never be a member.. We keep our religion away from our friendship and we've been fine all these years..
DeleteMy dear Ugegbeotega, her husband is a staunched Jehovah witness and never for one day liked me and her other friends.
DeleteI wasn't even the only one that she cut off. Even her former church members and one of our mutual friend were not spared either.
They are very good at cutting people who do not belong to their cult off.
I also have JW friend. My last birthday sef I was staying in their house. Even my birthday cake she didn't allow her kids eat. I respect their choices..
DeleteNa so! If you check now they dont keep all the commandments ooo.
ReplyDeleteThat's how i was discussing with someone and he said he cant date Muslim girls bcos he doesnt want to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. I told him he's not serious at all. Does fornication become less sinful bcos you're doing it with a believer?
OMG!!what kind of religion is kind,a mother will carry allow her baby to die just like that,God forbid,what a religion,infact am so sad right now.
ReplyDeleteThe mental health of the parents of that child should be thoroughly checked. This is totally abnormal.
ReplyDeleteI read the news yesterday and was so happy the baby was rescued.
ReplyDeleteGood one for rescuing the baby,Jehovah witness when will you people learn,that was how one of our neighbour lost a son,the boy was sick and his parents refused to take him to hospital till he died,why are they like this for christ sake,it's an avoidable death,yet they'll rather allow the person to die cos of religion.Where is it writen in the Bilble not to go hospital,don't take blood or treatment to save your life,where please?....sobs
ReplyDeleteVery hardened set of people, shioor.
ReplyDeleteYou see those people, their hearts dey under their feet. Very wicked and hypocritical lots. I am speaking from experience, know so many of them.
DeleteWhat else can one term as being wicked if not this? The way some people have been carrying religion on their heads is just so crazy! Shior!
ReplyDeleteWhat will religion and doctrines not cause in Nigeria and Africa.
ReplyDeleteReligion has caused more harm than good,a former neighbor of mine refused to take her son to d hospital after falling off from a story building cos she's JW! I was livid,d other 2 guys had to drag d boy from her hands and head out to hospital to run check on internal injury! Thank God he is safe..since then I just look at them and SMH
ReplyDeleteThey don't deserve that baby.
ReplyDeleteExactly!!!!!
DeleteThat child may even grow up in the midst of resentment from both parents & Church members. SMH
Please someone else should come forth and adopt that baby. They don’t deserve that child anymore. Wicked souls. Infact any Jehovah Weakness person that tries this again should be locked up.
ReplyDeleteA JW woman gave birth and needed blood transfusion, she and her husband refused. After much plea from the doctor they still refused. The husband went home and the matron approached her and told her, you will just die for nothing and your husband will marry another who will come and maltreat your kids. Matron told her to take it and no one will ever mention it to her husband. She was transfused and alive today. These ones are stupid, they should never be given that baby again.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless the person that informed the agency. The wicked parents do not deserve that baby.
ReplyDeleteJEHOVAH'S WITNESSES SHOULD BUILD AND EQUIP THEIR OWN HOSPITALS TO THEIR OWN TASTE AND DOCTRINE AND CHECK IN THEIR IF ILL INSTEAD OF DISTURBING THE REST OF US ABEG
DeleteThis is what happens when people fail to recognize the miracle of medicine and the miracle of science. Greater things than these will you do, because I go to the father. The greatest thing God created is man, and our most powerful too is OUR MIND. He filled our minds with intellect, wisdom and talents to do as he would do. That doctors can separate conjoined twins is a miracle. Medicine is God's gift to mankind. It is our natural magic..
ReplyDeleteNiB, chop kiss!! You said it all!
DeleteGod would not have given us science and medical interventions if he did not want us to use it.
Keywords here:
Miracle! Magic!!
Are there no JW's on this blog? Kindly come out and defend your bullshit religious beliefs.... Rabbishhh!
ReplyDeleteNawaoooo for this Jehova withness followers.... Are they for real?
ReplyDelete