A 21-year-old woman employed as a domestic worker in Mt Pleasant, Harare, allegedly buried her newly born baby in a shallow grave in her employer’s garden.
The baby was discovered alive moments after it was buried and the woman’s employer rushed it to the hospital, reported NewZimbabwe.com.
The suspect, Melisa Mutafi, appeared before Harare magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure facing charges of attempted infanticide.
She was released on free bail and remanded to 9 May to allow the prosecution to collect medical records from Parirenyatwa Hospital Group of Hospitals.
Prosecutors said that on 9 February 2023, at around 5.45 AM, Mutafi’s employer, Hildaberta Rambwiwa, was advised by the security guard that he had seen blood stains on the pavement.
The security guard also told Rambwiwa that he suspected that Mutafi might be hiding something since he had seen her coming from the garden holding a hoe in her hand.
Rambwiwa then asked Mutafi what she had been doing in the garden. Mutafi said she was burying blood clots as she was experiencing heavy menstrual flows.
It was further alleged that Rambwiwa then advised Mutafi to remove the soil from where she had allegedly hidden the blood clots using her hands and she complied.
Upon removing the top soil, they saw the newborn baby. Rambwiwa then took the baby, wrapped it, and proceeded to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where doctors successfully resuscitated it.
Rambwiwa then reported the matter to the police, leading to Mutafi’s arrest.
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