A mother gave birth several weeks after the father of her 11-month-old child has been accused of throwing their son into a river.
The Crime
According to the Metro, 22-year-old Zak Eko is being accused of throwing his 11-month-old son, Zakari William Bennett-Eko, into a nearby river when he stepped out to pick up some milk. It was around 4:30 p.m. on September 11 when emergency responders were called to the scene, following reports of a baby being found in the water.
It’s unclear how much time passed in between the child being thrown into the river and first responders beginning their efforts to retrieve the young boy. According to reports, the baby was alive when he was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately passed away hours later.
A Court Hearing for Zak
Eko appeared in court the following Friday, September 13. While in the courtroom, Eko only confirmed his name and birth date before a judge required him to remain in custody until his following appearance which was set for December 20.
Eko has not yet entered a plea. On the day of his son’s passing, he was found in a pub, where he was arrested.
As The Sun reports, the baby boy was reportedly found in a Moses basket when he was discovered in the river. His cause of death has been determined to have been “immersion.”
Zak has been charged with murder and remains in a hospital while in custody in accordance with the Mental Health Act, according to the Daily Mail.
Zakari’s Mom’s Heartbreaking Response
Shortly after Zakari’s passing was confirmed, his mom, 22-year-old Emma Blood, issued an emotional statement on social media. Blood called her 11-month-old son her world.
She wrote, “I woke up that morning being a mummy to the most wonderful cute little boy and by the afternoon Zakari was taken from me in the most tragic of circumstances. Zakari was my life for 11 months and will be the heart of our family for many years to come. He was a cheeky little chappie with a smile that melted hearts. He was the youngest of five generations of our family and was loved beyond belief.”
Mom Gives Birth to Her Second Child
What the public didn’t know at the time of Zakari’s death was that his mom was pregnant with his sibling. According to the Daily Mail, it’s being reported that Emma has given birth to a baby girl she named Isla.
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She allegedly wrote on social media last week, “I am proud of many things in life but nothing beats being a mother.” However, the mom has yet to make any public statements regarding the rumors that she has since welcomed another child.