A Nigerian couple did the unthinkable in far-away Cyprus: They locked their four-month-old baby inside their car at 3:00 a.m and went to enjoy themselves in a nightclub..
According to reports, around 3:00 a.m., a concerned citizen noticed the infant sleeping in a child seat in the back of the car in Engomi and notified the Ayios Dhometios police in Cyprus.
Officers rushed to the scene and located the car at around 3.20 a.m., ascertaining it was locked. Officers proceeded to search for the owner and after 10 minutes, a 21-year-old Nigerian man appeared and identified himself as the owner of the car and father of the child.
According to a police spokesman in the country, Michalis Katsounots, 10 minutes later, the 26-year-old mother of the infant was found in a night club near where the car was parked. "Both the father and mother were found to be showing signs of intoxication," said Katsounotos.
The parents were arrested and taken with the baby to the Nicosia CID for exposing the child to danger and were questioned and charged in writing before being released. A Welfare Services officer was also involved in the case and arrived at CID to undertake issues related to the infant..
According to Katsounotos, the baby was alone in the car for at least 45 minutes.
"The issue that should be troubling everyone is to what extent the parents themselves underestimate the life of their own children," said Katsounotos, adding that "the concerned citizen who found the baby and notified the police deserves congratulations. If the baby had not been found then the consequences would likely have been tragic."
