By Kaya 959 News
A doctor has revealed how he treated a five-month-old baby girl for several broken bones and at least 27 fractures after she was continually abused, allegedly by her parents.
The matter is being heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.
Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Helene Basson, said on 14 July last year, the child was taken to the Eugéne Marais Hospital for medical care.
Testifying on behalf of the State, she said the infant suffered various broken bones, including her collar bone, femur and various ribs – 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.
READ: SA urged to do more to protect children
Parents arrested
The girl’s parents were arrested in August last year after AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit in July 2020 supported doctors and a social worker to lay criminal charges.
Her 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’ care.
The case against the parents was however scrapped from the roll because according to the magistrate there was a lack of evidence.
AfriForum’s Manager of Campaigns, Jacques Broodryk, said the baby was temporarily placed in the care of her grandmother, after which she was again returned to her parents.
“After the child was hospitalised for a second time with similar injuries, AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit once again submitted charges against the parents. Both the parents however pleaded not guilty,” he said.
Broodryk said it was 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’ continuous remarks regarding violence against children and women are nothing more than lip service,” he said.



