2017-06-26Staff Report 2 Eveline de Klerk Walvis Bay-Two mothers were arrested in separate incidents in connection with the death of their babies. In the first incident an eight-month-old boy tragically died in a shack after he was allegedly left alone by his mother. The incident happened in DRC, an informal settlement in Swakopmund. Deputy Commisioner Erastus Iikuyu told New Era the baby was left alone as from 07h30 by his 28-year-old mother when she went to work. “He was found hanging on his jersey on a piece of wood on the bed.” According to Iikuyu, the baby was found around 5.30pm by an aunt and her friend. “The mother did not inform anyone that she left the baby alone although she did hide the key at the usual spot,” Iikuyu explained. He added that the mother was arrested for murder and child negligence and would appear in court today. In Walvis Bay, a 40-year-old woman was arrested for concealment of birth and murder on Friday at the Walvis Bay state hospital. According to Iikuyu, the woman gave birth last week Thursday evening at her house in Kuisebmond to a healthy baby boy. However, she allegedly shortly after giving birth placed the baby in a plastic bag and threw it in the rubbish bin at the residence. The suspect allegedly experienced after- birth complications and visited the hospital on Friday evening, when nurses discovered she had given birth earlier. The medical staff after examining her alerted the police who came and questioned her about the baby’s whereabouts. She confessed and was arrested at the hospital. Iikuyu said post-mortems would be conducted to determine the cause of death in both incidents. 2017-06-26Staff Report 2
