The orthopaedic surgeon who treated a five-month-old baby after she was allegedly continuously assaulted by her parents, today testified on behalf of the state. Dr Helene Basson treated the baby girl on 14 July 2020 after the child was taken to the Eug\u00e8ne Marais Hospital for medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basson testified that various of the child\u2019s bones were broken, including her collar bone, femur and various ribs \u2013 her ribs had about 27 fractures in total. According to Basson, the fractures were comparable with continuous episodes of physical actions, like those of a baby that was held around the body with both hands and then shaken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The case against the child\u2019s parents is this week being heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. The parents of the baby were arrested in August last year after AfriForum\u2019s Private Prosecution Unit in July 2020 supported doctors and a social worker to lay criminal charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The child\u2019s doctors and a private social worker initially laid a charge with the SAPS and the Department of Social Development and recommended that the baby be removed from her parents\u2019 care. The case against the parents was however scrapped from the roll because according to the magistrate there was a lack of evidence. The baby was temporarily placed in the care of her grandmother, after which she was again returned to her parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the child was hospitalised for a second time with similar injuries, AfriForum\u2019s Private Prosecution Unit once again submitted charges against the parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both the parents however pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is incomprehensible how the case was scrapped from the roll in the first place after an expert laid the charges herself seeing as she recognised the signs of child abuse. In addition, the abused child was then once again placed back into the care of the very people who harmed her. It is absolutely illogical and just shows once again that politicians\u2019 continuous remarks regarding violence against children and women are nothing more than lip service,\u201d says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum\u2019s Manager of Campaigns<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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