Pretoria – A 23-year-old woman, mom of three children, has been arrested for attempted murder of her newborn baby, the police in Mpumalanga said.
Police spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala said the horrific incident happened on Tuesday, at the house of the woman’s male friend situated at Matangaleni Trust near Mkhuhlu.
“It is alleged that the pregnant woman from Bushbuckridge visited her male companion for the first time.
“According to information, the male friend who was eager to meet her, made all necessary arrangements and they both met. On that fateful night, a few minutes before midnight, the woman responded to the call of nature and that was when the baby boy was born,” Mohlala said.
“Thereafter, she allegedly tried to conceal the baby’s birth by throwing him in the pit toilet.”
When the man realised the ordeal, police and medical practitioners were summoned to the scene, and the baby was “safely rescued”.
Police said the newborn baby was brought out of the pit toilet alive.
“The woman was arrested and both, the baby boy as well as his mother were taken to hospital for further medical attention. The woman was charged for attempted murder and she is currently under police guard,” Mohlala said.
Police said the woman is expected to appear before the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court soon.
The provincial commissioner of police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has “strongly” condemned the incident.
Manamela encouraged community members to make use of psychosocial services from professionals “whenever they undergo stressful life experiences whereby similar incidents could be prevented”.
IOL