A woman was caught red-handed burning a newborn baby in Vanderbijlpark. Photo for illustration: iStock
A woman has been arrested on murder charges after allegedly being caught in the act of burning a newborn baby at a dumping site in Tshepiso, Vanderbijlpark, on Monday night.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Thembeka Maxambela told Sedibeng Ster the incident was flagged by an eyewitness.
“A witness summoned the police to the scene after he saw the woman pushing a wheelbarrow to the dumping site and subsequently dumping and burning a baby.
“The man then informed the caretaker of the dumping site, who removed the body of the baby from the fire.”
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The woman’s appearance was given by the witness, and the community immediately alerted to the incident.
Maxambela said the witness and the community made their way to the woman’s home and brought her back to the dumping site. She was then handed over to police.
He said the woman’s clothes had blood on them, believed to be that of the baby’s, when she was arrested.
Police did not confirmed to the publication whether the baby was alive when it was burned.
“A post-mortem will determine the cause of death.”
Maxambela confirmed that a murder case docket has been opened.
The woman is expected to appear before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrate’s Court soon.
ALSO READ: Baby dumped with apology letter in Durban
Earlier this month, a three-month-old baby was found abandoned in Dawncrest, KwaZulu-Natal with a bag containing nappies, a bottle of milk and a pacifier.
A note was also left next to the little girl, suspected to be written by the baby’s mother.
In it, she pleaded for help, saying she had approached social workers twice and they were unable to assist her, and that she had no choice but to abandon her child.
She had also asked not to be judged in the note.
The woman has since handed herself over to authorities.
ALSO READ: Durban mother who abandoned baby with apology letter arrested
Edited and compiled by Nica Richards.
Parts of this article first appeared on Caxton publication Sedibeng Ster’s website, by Moleboheng Chaha. Read the original article here.
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