Western North Region: I dumped my son in the well to satisfy the man I love – Akua Afriyie confesses

A chilling confession has surfaced in the case of a four-year-old boy whose lifeless body was found in a well at Karlo in the Suaman District of the Western North Region.

Akua Afriyie, a 23-year-old mother, has reportedly confessed to police that she deliberately threw her son into the well to meet a condition given by a man she wanted to marry.

According to Adom TV’s Western North Regional Correspondent, Augustine Boah, the incident happened on Saturday, July 19, 2025, and was quickly reported by Mr. Eric Armah, the Assemblyman for the Karlo Electoral Area.

Mr. Armah stated that during police interrogation, the young mother admitted that the man had allegedly told her he would only marry her if she had no child.

In a desperate attempt to secure the relationship, Afriyie made the decision to end her son’s life.

Upon receiving the report, police deployed officers to the scene.

The child’s body was recovered from the well and taken to a nearby hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

This case sheds light on the serious issue of child abandonment and murder, which are sometimes linked to societal and economic pressures as well as harmful beliefs.

Though the motive in this case involved the hope of starting a new romantic relationship, such violent acts against children highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in society.

Ghanaian law, including the Children’s Act of 1998, is designed to protect children from abuse and neglect.

Offenses like infanticide and child murder carry severe penalties, demonstrating the seriousness with which these crimes are treated under the law.

Child abandonment, though not always fatal, remains an issue often driven by poverty, lack of support, social stigma, and misconceptions that children may hinder personal progress or acceptance.

While data specifically tied to child killings for such reasons is scarce, broader reports from UNICEF and the Ghana Statistical Service reveal that many children in Ghana still face significant challenges, emphasizing the need for stronger welfare support and community intervention.