A mother and her newborn baby have been reunited in Kalaki district after one of her visitors is alleged to have tried to steal the child.

This happened at Kakukre Health Centre II in Kakure sub-county, Police said.

Doreen Iguro, still recovering after her delivery, was visited by Eunice Auma, a friend with whom she went to the same school.

Eunice Auma In Apolice Car (purple) With Baby

But at around 2am Monday (January 2), Iguro woke up to a rude shock: her baby was missing. Her minder, too, had fallen asleep.

Tonny Ondoga, the district Police commander of Kalaki, said after a search was done, the baby was reportedly found with Auma at Nakasero trading centre in Alere village, where she operates a drugs shop.

Suspect Auma, who is 24 and resides in Alere village, was arrested for alleged child theft.

Police in Kalaki are investigating the case. Preliminary investigations indicate that Auma may have spiked the soda given to both the mother of the baby and the person nursing her.

As a result, that may have knocked out the duo, allowing the suspect to make off with the baby, according to the district chairperson, Samuel Okello.

Okello moved along with the team that recovered the baby from Nakasero trading centre.

He said they were lucky the suspect had not moved very far from the health centre, else it would have been difficult to trace her.

"When we reached there, we found the baby in a box. The locals were calling her [Auma] 'Nurse Eunice'," said Okello, who condemned the alleged act.

"It is wrong for someone to steal a baby. It is a mother who is supposed to raise her baby and no-one should steal it."

He said Auma is in Police custody as investigations continue and that the baby was handed back to its mother after a precautionary checkup gave the all-clear.

The suspect was due to record a statement to give her account of what happened.