Cape Town - A 25-year-old mother of two is expected to appear in court on Thursday on charges of concealment of birth after police found a foetus buried in her backyard.
The woman, an alleged drug addict, was arrested at her home in Olympic Crescent in Silvertown, Athlone, on Monday after she apparently performed her own abortion at home.
The suspect, who has two children aged five months and six years old, is due to appear at the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Police sources say they were responding to a tip-off when they found the makeshift grave in the woman’s backyard.
After police dug up the grave, they found a cereal box containing a male foetus inside.
The source said the young mother had allegedly tried to get a legal abortion at a clinic but was turned away because she was too far along in her pregnancy.
On Wednesday, the woman’s 64-year-old mother told the Daily Voice she was deeply distraught by her daughter’s arrest.
“They found the baby buried in the backyard. How long would my child face imprisonment?” she asked.
“She has two other children; this is also her baby [referring to the infant in her arms].”
Asked if her daughter was a drug addict, the pensioner said: “Yes.”
Meanwhile, a neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, said they became suspicious two weeks ago when they noticed the woman was suddenly not pregnant anymore but had no baby to show for it.
“Two weeks ago we saw a round stomach and the next day it was gone,” said the neighbour.
“Other neighbours said they saw her in the garden under a tree burying something but didn’t know what it was until the police arrived.”
Police spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk, confirms the arrest: “Members went to the residence and discovered the foetus buried in the yard. The female was then arrested on charges of concealment of birth.”
Daily Voice