Woman believes she’s found her long-lost baby

Yanique Thomas has been yearning to meet her parents, especially her mother, who abandoned her more than 20 years ago.

Since her story was published in The Gleaner last Thursday, a woman, Merlene Brown, and some of her relatives have claimed that she is Thomas' mother.

Brown told THE STAR that although she last saw her child approximately 25 years ago, she is certain that Thomas is the baby she nicknamed 'Nunu Girl'.

"Is my little girl that. From mi see her face and her eyes, mi know say a mi baby that and mi glad mi a go get to see her and reunite with her. We meeting up on Friday and mi excited," she said.

According to Thomas, 29, she was given a name by the then-named Child Development Agency (CDA), and, based on information gathered from the police, the agency estimated her birthdate.

She remained in state care until age 17, when she was adopted. Thomas said that even though her adoptive parents treated her well, she always yearned to find her birth parents.

"The only information I have is that my mommy left me with a lady at Ward Theatre [in] downtown [Kingston] and said: 'Can you hold this baby for me? I'm coming back', and she never showed up back," she said.

Wrong information

Brown, however, said she left her baby with a woman at the Spanish Town Hospital, and feels Thomas got wrong information.

Brown explained that she gave up the child because of questions over the baby's paternity.

"There were a lot of persons on St John's Road where mi live who was giving the baby to a man and I know it wasn't his. Dem all a make him send baby feeding to me so that did get mi frustrated. She did have a cold and mi carry her to the hospital the morning. Mi beg a woman hold her and tell her mi a go bathroom, but mi never go back until the next day," she said.

After being pressured by her sister, Brown said she returned to the hospital the following morning to find the woman. She found out that she had taken the baby to her home in Newlands, St Catherine.

"The lady did love off the baby. She call mi back and tell mi say when mi wa go anywhere mi can bring the baby come stay with her. Tru mi fool now, mi did glad to carry the baby go. So mi pack up the baby and carry her go and mi take over four months to go back go look for her," she said.

Brown said when she returned, the woman's family told her that she would have to compensate them for all the time and money they had spent on the baby.

"Mi go back to her house with police about eight times and mi never see dem. Mi get frustrated and say mi nah go back there but mi return a next time and somebody say I must check CDA," she said. But Brown said she lost hope as no information was forthcoming from the agency.

"Mi did young and fool, God know. And mi just tell mi self say mi a go leave it alone and tell miself say one day mi must find her back," she said.

For Thomas, the only thing that matters is to get closure.

"It is not only for me alone really but I realise that a lot of persons are in similar positions who are seeking closure. I am looking forward to meeting 'the mother' on Friday and I have also spoken to her niece and her sister. She cried really hard when we spoke. All I am seeking is answers and closure," she said.