Mom dumped her baby thinking he was dead

Pregnancy led boyfriend to break up with her

THE Verulam mother accused of dumping her newborn baby in a black bin bag said she thought that the child was dead.

In a signed affidavit submitted to the Verulam Magistrate’s Court, the Everest Heights woman, 31, said the baby had stopped moving while still in her womb and believed it was no longer alive.

She confessed that she had dumped the baby, but apologised for her actions.

The woman said: “When my water broke, I went into the bush and gave birth to a baby boy. I covered him with a towel and placed him in a black refuse bag. I dumped him so that the refuse truck would collect the bag with the baby.”

The unemployed woman, who has two other children, was arrested after the 2.3kg baby was found abandoned on Olivine Road, metres away from her home.

The woman is facing charges of child abandonment. She was released on R1 000 bail in January and ordered to report to the Verulam police once a week.

She appeared in court on Monday for the statements to be handed to the defence. The case was adjourned to March 18 for the social worker’s report.

Part of the statements included that of the passer-by, Nkosinathi Chonco, 29, who found the baby.

Chonco had been rummaging through the dirt for empty cans and scrap metal when he heard a “cry that sounded like a cat”.

“When I checked, I found a newborn baby wrapped in newspaper, wet pants and a towel.”

He said when he opened the towel, the baby was covered in blood and still had its umbilical cord attached. He said the baby looked like he was going to die and he screamed out for help.

Chonco added that emergency services arrived and treated the baby.

The arresting officer, Constable Nompumelelo Mtshali, of Verulam SAPS, said he interviewed Chonco. The man, he said, led him to the home where the mother of the baby allegedly resided.

He said when he interviewed the accused, she allegedly confessed to the crime. He read out her rights and arrested her.

According to the medical report submitted to the court, the accused suffered from depression and hypertension and was being treated at the Osindisweni Hospital.

The woman had received no ante-natal care. The report stated that the family was unaware of her pregnancy and that her boyfriend had broken up with her after learning about the pregnancy.

This was six months prior to the baby’s birth.

The healthcare practitioner who examined her, could not be certain if the accused wanted to keep the baby or not.

Despite rumours that the accused was a drug addict, no signs of drugs were found in her system. She was then referred to the Verulam Clinic for post-natal care.

The court asked for a comprehensive social worker’s report to be conducted to determine the well-being of the accused’s two other children, aged 11 and 9.

They are currently in the care of their maternal grandparents. The abandoned baby is in the care of social services.