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Herald Correspondent
Police in Jotsholo in Matabeleland North have arrested a 34-year-old woman for allegedly dumping her newly-born baby.
The woman is alleged to have buried the baby in sand with some of its limbs exposed leading to its discovery.
National police spokesperson Assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest and said investigations were still underway.
“Police in Jotsholo arrested a woman (34) in connection with a case of infanticide which occurred on 24 June 2021. The infant’s body which was in its advanced stage of decomposition was discovered buried in sand with the skull and hands slightly exposed, near Mahusekwa River on 14 July 2021. Investigations are underway,” he said.
In a related incident, in April this year, a 29-year-old Zimbabwean woman drowned her newly-born baby girl in a 20-litre bucket of boiling water in South Africa.
Wendy Tapiwa Chipo of Rietfonten appeared before the Brits Magistrates Court in Gauteng province facing murder charges.
National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson for North Gauteng, Ms Lumka Mahanjana said the offence was committed on March 16.
She said prior to the infanticide, the woman had allegedly tried to abort the pregnancy without success.
“It is alleged that Chipo tried to abort her baby, when that failed and the baby came out alive, she dipped her in a 20-litre bucket of boiling water,” said Ms Mahanjana.
Online Reporter