Pretoria - Two doctors took the stand in the case of battered twins, with more horrific details emerging of the injuries they suffered when they were just 2 months old - the effects of which they live with as they approach their 4th birthday.
A baby boy identified as J suffered severe brain damage and had stripe marks on his buttocks - caused by blunt force trauma such as from a a belt or stick while X-rays taken of his twin sister, identified in court as M, showed that she had four broken or cracked ribs which were healing.
The parents of the twins are facing attempted murder and child abuse charges.
But the mother, who lives in North West on a farm with her parents who care for the children, and her ex-boyfriend, pleaded not guilty and have said they had no idea how the twins came to be injured.
The children’s maternal grandfather testified that his grandson cannot sit, walk, or talk. He cannot feed himself, suffers from epileptic fits and has undergone two operations.
His prognosis is bleak and he requires around-the-clock care. His sister is developing normally, without signs of any permanent damage.
J was admitted to hospital on Christmas Day 2012 when he stopped breathing.
While he was in hospital, his mother insisted that his sister also be examined by a doctor.
Paediatrician Dr Hennie Roelofse told the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, that the baby girl appeared healthy. But X-rays showed that she previously had four cracked or broken ribs and that there was previous trauma to one of her legs.
Roelofse said a baby’s bones and ribs were extremely pliable and to break or crack them, extreme pressure or trauma must have been applied.
According to the doctor, her type of injury was compatible with that caused when a baby was violently shaken.
Dr Anita Groenewald, who examined the boy, described him as an emergency case. It was established that Baby J had serious bleeding on the brain and he was immediately operated upon.
Doctors found that not all the injuries had occurred on the same occasion.
The doctor also reported bruising and reported the matter to the police.
The father, through his lawyer, told the court that on the day in question, he picked up the baby to feed him.
He placed him on his chest because the baby was crying, and patted him lightly on the back. When he realised the child was not breathing he was frightened, and grabbed him round the ears while running for help.
But the doctor said such pressure could not have caused the damage; that must have been caused by a severe blunt force to the baby’s head.