ZWEDRU, Grand Gedeh County — The six-day-old baby who vanished from the Martha Tubman Memorial Hospital in Zwedru in the early hours of November 16 has been found alive and reunited with his mother, 21-year-old Tracy Nuah, bringing an emotional end to a case that gripped the nation and sparked fear, outrage, and confusion throughout Grand Gedeh County.
The infant was discovered late Saturday night, authorities confirmed, following a startling chain of events that unfolded after a local resident publicly revealed a confession he said he recorded from the suspected abductor.
“I just want my baby back” — A Mother’s Cry That Was Answered
The mother, Tracy, had spent days in agonizing distress, recounting through tears how she returned to the ward around 2:55 a.m. only to find her newborn missing. She had earlier told reporters that a strange woman dressed in a full hijab met her at the door and oddly asked where pampers were being sold. Moments later, her baby was gone.
“I just want my baby back,” Tracy sobbed repeatedly — a cry that echoed across Liberia as the Ministry of Health and the Liberia National Police launched an emergency manhunt.
This weekend, that cry was finally answered.
Local Resident’s Recorded Confession Leads to Arrest
According to Zwedru resident Patrick Gbeayee, the breakthrough came when a woman he identified only as Faith visited his home at around 10 p.m. and confessed that she had taken the baby from the hospital. Faith, he said, had recently suffered a stillbirth.
In a stunning claim, Patrick said Faith told him she did not act alone — alleging that a hospital nurse, identified as Patience, played a direct role in enabling the abduction.
Gbeayee stated he quickly realized the seriousness of what he was being told.
“I recorded everything,” he explained. “As soon as she left, I contacted my police friend, Officer Otis Freeman.”
Police moved swiftly that night, arresting the alleged perpetrator for further investigation.
A Community Hero Feels Ignored — Then Summoned
Despite his role in breaking open the case, Gbeayee expressed fear and frustration. He went on a local radio station to share his story, saying he felt police authorities were ignoring him and that his safety was at risk.
Hours after his radio appearance, the LNP Operations Commander in Grand Gedeh summoned him to give a formal statement. The police have not yet commented publicly on Gbeayee’s concerns.
Hospital Security Under Scrutiny
The Ministry of Health earlier confirmed that the suspect was seen entering the infant ward at approximately 2:00 a.m., disguised in full hijab. The Ministry has promised full cooperation with national investigators.
Parents in Zwedru are now raising questions about the hospital’s security protocols — especially rules that prevented mothers from sleeping beside their newborns.
“How can someone in full hijab walk into an infant room unnoticed?” one parent asked angrily near the hospital compound. “What if this child was never found?”
Mother and Baby Reunited
Tracy, overwhelmed and shaking with emotion, held her baby tightly in her arms when authorities returned the infant to her. Witnesses described the scene as “heart-wrenching and beautiful.”
“She cried like her whole heart was coming out,” a neighbor said. “Everyone around cried with her.”
Police Investigation Deepens — More Arrests Possible
With the alleged perpetrator now in custody, investigators are probing the claims of hospital collusion. The nurse named in the confession is expected to be questioned.
The Liberia National Police are yet to formally confirm the identities of all suspects, but officers say the investigation is active and ongoing.
A Community Still Shaken But Relieved
The case has left Zwedru shaken, with residents calling for tighter security in health facilities and improved oversight of newborn wards.
Still, the outcome has brought a wave of relief.
“A baby’s life was saved,” said an elder in the community. “For once, we have a story that ended in joy and not tragedy.”
As Tracy holds her son again — alive, safe, finally home — Zwedru breathes a collective sigh of relief.
The nation waits for the full investigative report and answers to the troubling questions that remain.
