CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 31-year-old mother, who allegedly drowned her 11-month-old baby girl, is now under the care of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC): Center for Behavioral Sciences (Psychiatric and Psychological services).
Police Major Joemar Pomarejos, Waterfront Police Precinct chief, said in a phone interview with CDN Digital on July 29 that he decided to move her to the VSMMC on Sunday, July 28, 2019, because he realized the utmost importance of a psychological care that the woman needed.
Read more:Mom drowns 11-month-old baby in a pail of water
According to Pomarejos, they decided to seek help from VSMMC when they observed that the woman was not fit to be detained in their jail after she showed signs of a mental health condition that was beyond their capabilities to handle.
“Para sa iyahang own safety and sa uban niya nga na detained, amoa na gi refer sa Sotto (For her own safety and to the other’s who were detained, we referred her to Sotto),” said Pomarejos.
Although there are police officers assigned as lookout for the woman, Pomarejos said it was better that she was referred to the experts who could provide her with the proper medication especially since the woman was unable to sleep during the time she was detained in the Waterfront Police Precinct.
Dr. Sherryl Muli-Abellanosa, a psychology professor from University of San Carlos, told CDN Digital that given the information about the woman, she might possibly be undergoing postpartum psychosis, a mental illness that would occur days or weeks after a woman would give birth to a baby.
Dr. Abellanosa said that with such case, it would be important that she would see a psychiatrist for proper treatment.
“Confinement is also advisable until she is stable and is no longer a danger to others or to herself,” said Dr. Abellanosa.
The woman was reported to have drowned her 11-month-old baby in a pail of water last Friday, July 26, while his 60-year-old father went out to buy mineral water.
Read more:Mother says woman, who reportedly drowned her baby, is suffering from depression
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Tawag Paglaum Centro Bisaya is a 24/7 call-based hotline for suicide prevention and emotional crisis intervention established in Cebu. Anyone in Central Visayas experiencing a mental disorder relapse or suicidal thoughts may reach the hotline at 0939-936-5433 or 0927-654-1629. /dbs