Father of Baby G gets custody

AFTER months of living in a foster home, Baby G has been reunited with her biological father.

The father, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor child, was granted custody last week by the Verulam Magistrate’s Court.

He said he would do everything in his power to protect his daughter. “I don’t want anymore harm to come to her. I am thankful she is now with me.”

In March, a video emerged on social media of the child’s mother smacking, kicking and stomping on her 46 times, while shouting vulgarities at her for urinating on the floor.

The two-minute video was allegedly recorded by the woman’s boyfriend.

Baby G, aged 4, spent eight weeks in hospital nursing injuries to her legs and body. She was unable to walk and underwent intense physiotherapy.

The mother, 25, and her boyfriend, 20, face charges of attempted murder and are due back in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court next week.

The father’s attorney, Kelvin Walker, said: “Every obstacle was thrown our way. The mother claimed the father had sexually assaulted the child. She was removed from his care and placed with relatives. Welfare then placed her with a foster family.”

Walker said the father was allowed weekly visits. “We had to prove the allegations against the father were not true.”

Walker said professional reports cost up to R150 000. “All the reports, including the one from the district surgeon, came back clear.”

Social workers will conduct regular visits to monitor Baby G. The money the community collected earlier this year would be used towards counselling for the child.