A 35-year-old mother from barangay Lorega-San Miguel, Cebu City, complained to the police that her 2-year-old daughter was “kidnapped” by a female friend.
The mother, a coconut vendor, said her friend whom she identified as a certain Marlyn took her child last Aug. 19.
The mother said she was attending a seminar in the barangay when Marlyn went to her house.
Only her 10-year-old daughter was watching over the baby when Marlyn arrived. Marlyn said she would bring the baby to the mall.
The 10-year-old sibling tried to stop her when Marlyn flagged a taxi and got in with the baby.
The elder sister tried to follow them but Marlyn pushed her aside.
The frantic vendor went looking for Marlyn in her house in barangay Labangon but was told that the woman had transferred to barangay Capitol Site.
Then at Capitol Site, the mother was told by Marlyn’s neighbors that she already left for Leyte province.
The vendor said she did not report the kidnapping to the police immediately, hoping that Marlyn would just return her baby.
The mother finally went to the Parian police station and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas last Thursday.
The desperate mother said Marlyn was her regular customer and they became close friends.
She said Marlyn was fond of her baby and would sometimes buy her milk and other necessities.
Marlyn was a constant visitor in her home and several times took the children out to the mall.