News / Regional
Woman throws live baby in a pit toilet
31 May 2014 at 07:30hrs | Views
A MANGWE woman allegedly threw her new-born baby alive in a pit toilet shortly after giving birth recently.
Sibonginkosi Ngwenya, 25, is suspected to have secretly given birth and committed the alleged crime at her uncle's house in Crossroads area. Thereafter, she went to sleep in her bedroom only to be woken up by relatives and neighbours who had rescued her baby boy who was bleeding from the nose and mouth.
Cries from the latrine jolted the woman's relatives who had to demolish part of the toilet in order to reach the baby boy, who unfortunately died four days later at Brunapeg Hospital.
Officer commanding Bulilima-Mangwe District, Chief Superintendent Macdonald Samuriwo confirmed the incident.
"We arrested a woman from Mangwe on allegations of dumping a new-born baby. We are still carrying out some investigations but the issue is now in court," he said.
Sibongile's brother, Thulani Ngwenya, said his aunt alerted him on Saturday at about 6AM that she had heard cries coming from her toilet.
"We all went to check and we saw a baby down in the hole. We quickly alerted our neighbours and we had to destroy part of the toilet in order to get the baby out. When we got the baby out of the hole he was in a bad state and he was bleeding from the mouth and nose," said Ngwenya.
"We went to check for Sibonginkosi in her room and we found her there asleep but her pregnancy was gone. We alerted the police and we took my sister and her baby to the hospital. Unfortunately the baby died on the fourth day because nurses told us that he had been severely injured at the time he was dropped into the pit."
Ngwenya said Sibonginkosi denied having dumped the baby on purpose, but "gave a rather lame excuse as she told us that she had a running stomach and when she went to the toilet the baby dropped into the toilet pit."
Ngwenya said her sister dumped the infant on purpose because if it had been an accident, she should have informed people about the incident.
Sibonginkosi's family said she did not know who impregnated her.
The woman appeared before Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon yesterday and was advised that the state would proceed with its case by way of summons.
Prosecutor Jane Phiri asked that the case be withdrawn before Sibonginkosi could plead while the state gathers evidence.
Sibonginkosi Ngwenya, 25, is suspected to have secretly given birth and committed the alleged crime at her uncle's house in Crossroads area. Thereafter, she went to sleep in her bedroom only to be woken up by relatives and neighbours who had rescued her baby boy who was bleeding from the nose and mouth.
Cries from the latrine jolted the woman's relatives who had to demolish part of the toilet in order to reach the baby boy, who unfortunately died four days later at Brunapeg Hospital.
Officer commanding Bulilima-Mangwe District, Chief Superintendent Macdonald Samuriwo confirmed the incident.
"We arrested a woman from Mangwe on allegations of dumping a new-born baby. We are still carrying out some investigations but the issue is now in court," he said.
Sibongile's brother, Thulani Ngwenya, said his aunt alerted him on Saturday at about 6AM that she had heard cries coming from her toilet.
"We went to check for Sibonginkosi in her room and we found her there asleep but her pregnancy was gone. We alerted the police and we took my sister and her baby to the hospital. Unfortunately the baby died on the fourth day because nurses told us that he had been severely injured at the time he was dropped into the pit."
Ngwenya said Sibonginkosi denied having dumped the baby on purpose, but "gave a rather lame excuse as she told us that she had a running stomach and when she went to the toilet the baby dropped into the toilet pit."
Ngwenya said her sister dumped the infant on purpose because if it had been an accident, she should have informed people about the incident.
Sibonginkosi's family said she did not know who impregnated her.
The woman appeared before Plumtree magistrate Livard Philemon yesterday and was advised that the state would proceed with its case by way of summons.
Prosecutor Jane Phiri asked that the case be withdrawn before Sibonginkosi could plead while the state gathers evidence.
Source - chronicle
