News / National
Woman dumps infant at graveyard
14 Jan 2016 at 05:57hrs | Views
A FIVE-DAY-OLD baby boy is lucky to be alive after he was dumped by his 26-year-old mother at a grave yard soon after birth.
The baby was now temporarily being cared for at Parirenyatwa Hospital before the Department of Social Welfare finds him a new home.
The matter came to light after Mercy Madziwa appeared before Mbare Magistrate Gladys Moyo facing charges of exposing a baby to danger.
Madziwa pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday and will be sentenced today.
The court heard that on Friday last week at around 4am Madziwa gave birth to a baby boy at her home in Waterfalls and proceeded to tie the baby's neck with a T-shirt, placing it in a plastic bag before dumping it at St Johns Cemetery.
The new-born baby was discovered by Fungai Mbudzi who passed near the cemetery around 6am on the same day and heard the baby crying.
The court further heard that Mbudzi, together with a few passerbys tracked the source of the crying baby and discovered a black plastic bag hidden under a hedge in the cemetery.
Upon opening they discovered the baby with the T-shirt tied around his neck and took him to Kuwadzana Police Station.
The court also heard the baby's umbilical cord was not tied upon discovery.
The baby was then later taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital and police investigations later on led to the arrest of Madziwa.
James Manyuchi appeared for the State.
The baby was now temporarily being cared for at Parirenyatwa Hospital before the Department of Social Welfare finds him a new home.
The matter came to light after Mercy Madziwa appeared before Mbare Magistrate Gladys Moyo facing charges of exposing a baby to danger.
Madziwa pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday and will be sentenced today.
The court heard that on Friday last week at around 4am Madziwa gave birth to a baby boy at her home in Waterfalls and proceeded to tie the baby's neck with a T-shirt, placing it in a plastic bag before dumping it at St Johns Cemetery.
The new-born baby was discovered by Fungai Mbudzi who passed near the cemetery around 6am on the same day and heard the baby crying.
The court further heard that Mbudzi, together with a few passerbys tracked the source of the crying baby and discovered a black plastic bag hidden under a hedge in the cemetery.
Upon opening they discovered the baby with the T-shirt tied around his neck and took him to Kuwadzana Police Station.
The court also heard the baby's umbilical cord was not tied upon discovery.
The baby was then later taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital and police investigations later on led to the arrest of Madziwa.
James Manyuchi appeared for the State.
Source - newsday
