/ 17 January 2006

Police investigate rape of newborn baby

A newborn baby girl found naked and abandoned near the Hennenman train station in the northern Free State over the weekend had been sexually assaulted, local police said on Tuesday.

Constable Kiddy Kitime said the baby was found at 6.45pm on Sunday and taken to the Bongani Hospital for treatment.

”Upon investigation, the doctors at Bongani in Thabong found that the baby had been sexually assaulted,” she said.

”A case of rape is being investigated.”

Kitime said a 26-year-old woman, who is apparently the mother of the baby, was arrested on Monday night. She would appear in the Hennenman Magistrate’s Court on charges of child neglect.

Kitime said the baby was naked and was apparently only a few hours old. She said the baby would be taken to a place of safety when she was discharged from hospital. – Sapa