Newborn baby discarded in pit latrine
Female officers attending the scene as well as the 19-year-old youngster who spotted the baby in the toilet were left traumatised by the tragic incident
A PREMATURE baby girl – believed to have reached a gestational age of seven months – was found dumped in a pit toilet in Mzingazi on Christmas morning.
The body of the infant was discovered at about 7am on Wednesday.
Female officers attending the scene as well as the 19-year-old youngster who spotted the baby in the toilet were left traumatised by the tragic incident.
No arrests have yet been made but a charge of concealment of birth was opened with the possibility of additional charges as the investigation progresses.
Meanwhile, LifeLine Zululand Director, Michelle Jewlal said this was a sad and serious matter and despite emotional wellness and crisis intervention services and counselling being available, more needed to be done to create awareness in terms of access to services available to help individuals make informed decisions.
‘Educating people on making informed lifestyle choices is a priority and they must understand a decision does not only affect the individual involved, but also has a ripple effect on society and the role society plays in motivating people to make tough decisions.
‘The youth face numerous challenges from peer pressure, hormonal changes and dealing with the challenges of a changing society.
‘Support from within our communities is essential and all organisations, community groups and networking partners need to work together to continue to strengthen, educate and widen the reach to support individuals to make informed decisions.
‘We need to rise above stigmatising and branding people because this provokes people to engage in illegal activities and make poor decisions,’ said Jewlal.
• Women and young girls, who do not want to keep their babies, are advised to seek help from the SAPS trauma centre or from organisations such as Richards Bay Family Care or LifeLine Zululand, who can advise them of other options to safely give up their babies.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
