Buried alive, this baby girl was left to her fate in the shallow grave she was dumped.
But a man, who was out early on 20 May 2013 to fetch bread for his family’s breakfast, tumbled on the freshly-dug shallow grave behind a home in the Kaibia area, on the outskirts of central Honiara.
Frank Misi quickly borrowed a neighbour’s shovel, removed a tyre that was placed on the grave, and cautiously unearthed it.
As he dug in, he was confronted by a little hand popping out from the grave.
“I moved quickly when we saw the little fingers clasping, gripping open and close as if someone was beckoning for help,” Misi said then.
The baby girl was rushed to the hospital and was saved by nurses who were at hand to attend to her.
In a dramatic front page story the Solomon Star published on the discovery on May 21 last year, the paper dubbed her “Miracle Baby”.
In the past week, the Sunday Star accompanied Misi looking for “Miracle Baby” and eventually found her in a hill-side home in the upper White River area, west Honiara.
She’s now got a name, was 16 months old, and was growing up happily in her new adopted home.
“Crister Grace Huaharu was her name,” said Judith Huaharu, her adopted mother.
“She’s a very strong girl, but could easily get emotional when she’s not happy,” Judith said.
Judith, a housewife, and her husband, a small business operator, adopted the baby from the hospital after doctors declared she’s now safe to return home.
She is a relative of the baby’s mother.
“We have five children of our own. Crister is a new addition, and is very much part of the family. She’s our sixth child,” Judith said.
She added her children loved Crister very much, treating her as their biological sister.
Misi, who said he’ll never forget the 20 May 2013 incident at Kaibia, was pleased to see the baby girl he rescued from the jaws of death growing up happily.
“For me, this little girl will always have a place in my life,” he said.
“I’ve lost touch with her over the last 16 months. In May this year, I was looking for her to attend her first birthday.
“I could not locate the family that adopted her.
“It was only recently that someone told me the family that adopted her was living in the White River area,” he said.
Last Friday, Misi took the Sunday Star team with him to that house the baby was living, and showered the little girl with presents.
“I’m pleased she was growing up healthy and that the family was looking after her really well.
“I think this is important for her future,” Misi said.
BY OFANI EREMAE
