Baby cut from womb: accused to know her fate

'The murder was probably planned' - state prosecutor.

The Toekomsrus woman accused of cutting open her friend’s stomach to take out her unborn baby will know her fate soon.

Local resident Loretta Innocentia Cook is facing charges of murder and leaving an infant exposed.

At the time, the herald reported that Cook allegedly lured the deceased friend, Valencia Berhens to her house under the pretext that she wanted to give her baby clothes and a pram. 

The incident occurred on 6 January 2012.

It is believed that Cook managed to cut open Behrens’ stomach and took the baby from her womb.

Behrens succumbed to the injuries and was declared dead while her baby girl survived and was found in a pool of blood with her umbilical cord still attached. This was on the cold tiles of the house.

Despite doctors stating that the baby found at the scene could not be Cook’s as she was not pregnant, Cook has disputed this and maintained that she was pregnant at the time.

Her lawyer said Cook did not have any recollection that she was the one who committed this horrific act. Meanwhile, information gathered in court from state prosecutor Paul Schutte indicates that the incident was not a spur of the moment thing and the murder probably was planned.

“It is evident that her loss of memory and consciousness were staged … She did not faint but inexplicably went closer to the deceased and touched her body that was covered in blood,” said Schutte.

Cook since has denied her involvement in the ordeal and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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