A 27-year-old woman will appear in Odendaalsrus District Court on Monday, accused of concealing her birth.
The woman turned herself in to Free State police after a newborn baby was found in a freezer.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Thakeng said that police in Odendaalsrus received a call from a property owner claiming that he had found a newborn baby in a freezer in a hut on his property. The hut was rented by the suspect.
The baby was already frozen
Upon arrival, police found the baby’s body wrapped in a tracksuit inside a plastic bag.
“The baby’s body was already frozen,” he said.
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Mother surrenders herself
Ambulances were called to the scene and confirmed the baby was dead.
“A case of concealment of birth has been registered for further investigation.”
When the police discovered the body, the mother was not in the rented house. After the police had launched a search for her, but without success, she surrendered herself to the Odendaalsrus police station on Thursday, September 12.
What to Do When You Can’t Hold Your Baby
In South Africa, there are options people can take if they do not want to keep their babies. Options available in the country focus on the well-being and safety of both the individual and the child.
Possible options include safe abortion, adoption, and foster care.
The country’s safe abortion conditions allow termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks.
Adoption is the process by which a person can give their child to another family to care for.
Foster care provides temporary shelter for a child until a permanent solution is found.
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The Citizen
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