66-year-old woman remanded over toddler's death

A 66-year-old woman has been remanded over the death of a toddler left in her care.

Madam Josephine Avlekpor was charged with manslaughter by the Circuit Court in Ashaiman after the child allegedly died from burns sustained while in her custody.

According to the accused’s son, Thomas Avugblah, his mother attempted to bathe the toddler with hot water, which caused burns to the child’s buttocks. Madam Avlekpor had tried to make the child sit in water collected in a pan.

Narrating the incident to Crime Check, Thomas said his mother had taken in a lady to help care for her and her child.

The lady, who worked at a pub, usually returned home after several days, leaving the total welfare of her child in Madam Avlekpor’s care.

Thomas said that on one occasion, while his mother wanted to bathe the child, she took hot water from a neighbour. According to him, the child sustained burns on the buttocks during the bath.

The accused is said to have rushed the child to a health facility in Ashaiman for treatment.

Thomas said when the child’s mother returned, she told them she was taking the child to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment. But for more than two weeks, she refused to answer their calls.

“She does not answer our calls but will answer other neighbours’ calls,” Thomas recalled.

He said he later heard that the child had died.

Thomas recounted that his mother was later invited to the Lebanon Police Station in Ashaiman after the child’s mother reported her for causing the child’s death.

What was supposed to be an invitation to take the accused’s statement ended with Madam Avlekpor being put into police custody. She has not returned home since.

According to Thomas, his mother has appeared in court three times on the charge of manslaughter. He said the case has always been adjourned, and his mother has not been allowed to speak.

The woman’s continued stay in custody, Thomas says, has been a source of worry for the family, who are urging the court to fast-track the hearing.