/ 10 July 2007

Mother arrested for drowning baby

Forensic experts exhumed a baby on Tuesday who was drowned and buried in a yard — allegedly by her mother — last year, Pretoria police said.

”I can confirm that forensic experts found the remains of the child in the yard,” Inspector Paul Ramaloko said.

He said the child was buried in July last year just after being born.

Police officers, including two forensic experts and the dog unit, were at the scene on Tuesday afternoon digging for the remains of the child.

The 34-year-old mother and her 48-year-old aunt were arrested on Monday for allegedly drowning a new-born baby girl in a bucket and then burying her in their yard in Mamelodi West.

The younger woman gave birth on Friday, and her aunt allegedly helped her drown the baby in a bucket. The baby was then buried in the bucket in their yard.

Police received an anonymous call on Monday, and went to the house, where they found the baby’s remains.

The 34-year-old woman, who works as a security guard, allegedly confessed to the police that last year she had drowned another baby and buried it in the yard.

Ramaloko said the exhumed remains would be taken for laboratory examination.

Police have not yet established a motive for the crime.

Ramaloko said about 100 onlookers were at the house on Tuesday afternoon.

The woman and her aunt were arrested and charged with murder and would appear in the Mamelodi Magistrate’s court soon. — Sapa