Mom arrested for forcefully terminating daughter’s pregnancy

A 40-year-old woman who resides in Francistown’s Block 1 residential area has been arrested for ending her 18-year-old daughter’s pregnancy.

The incident took place on Saturday. It is alleged that the two were never in good terms since the teenager told the mother about the pregnancy. Instead, the mother threatened to disown the daughter if she refused to abort.

With no other option to consider than her mother’s advice, the desperate teenager allegedly committed abortion using potions provided by the mother.

A day after the abortion, the teenager visited her boyfriend at his house, and blood gushed from underneath the teenager’s dress onto the ground.

The shell-shocked boyfriend interrogated the girlfriend about the abnormal bleeding and she confessed that her mother helped to terminate the pregnancy.

The bitter boyfriend did not waste time and reported the matter to the police that his girlfriend was pressured to commit abortion. The weak girlfriend was then rushed to Nyangabgwe hospital due to heavy bleeding and freshly dried blood clots were seen at the boyfriend’s place.

Speaking to The Midweek Sun, station commander for Kutlwano police, Superintendent Neo Serumola revealed that the mother to the 18-year-old teenager has been arrested, charged with procurement of abortion, and is likely to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years.

“We are shocked, a mother is someone who is supposed to offer appropriate support to her daughter and avoid putting her live in danger,” said Serumola who added that they were yet to establish the number of weeks or months the girl was pregnant as she is still hospitalised.