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IN a stomach-turning raid late yesterday, forensic pathology services workers in Port Elizabeth recovered scores of foetuses packed into a chest freezer as part of an investigation into illegal abortions.
A woman, thought to be in her 30s, was arrested at the Govan Mbeki Avenue building in the city centre where police found the foetuses.
Police spokesman Captain Johan Rheeder said the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into illegal abortions in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“I can confirm that a woman was arrested,” he said.
“I can also tell you that the investigation, in part, is as a result of complaints from a hospital which deals with the complications in patients that arise from the illegal abortions.”
Rheeder could not say how many foetuses had been found, but confirmed that health regulations had been contravened.
“This is part of a very long and very challenging investigation,” he said.
“It would appear that today’s action is just the tip of the iceberg and so we do not want to jeopardise the investigation by revealing too much at this stage.”
Police would not allow access to the building, which is occupied by traditional healers and other businesses.
In a grisly scene outside the building, however, forensic pathology services workers were seen struggling to carry the foetuses out of the building on a stretcher and placing them in the back of their vehicle.
A caretaker at the building, who did not want to be identified, said she had no idea that there were foetuses on the premises, but that she believed the tenant who was involved in the raid “had a permit” to conduct her business.
A stand-alone signboard outside the building advertised “Mother and Child Health Care Services” and offered both antenatal and postnatal services, but there was no mention of abortion.
A man close to the raid, who would not be identified, said the foetuses had been found in a chest freezer in the building.
No further details were available last night.
The Mother and Child Health Care Services operation made headlines in 2014 when a then 17-year-old girl was admitted to Dora Nginza Hospital after claiming she had visited the Govan Mbeki clinic for abortion assistance.
The girl was given pills to take which led to her being admitted to hospital.
Management at Dora Nginza had called for a criminal probe into the clinic at the time.
VIA - heraldlive.co.za
A woman, thought to be in her 30s, was arrested at the Govan Mbeki Avenue building in the city centre where police found the foetuses.
Police spokesman Captain Johan Rheeder said the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into illegal abortions in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“I can confirm that a woman was arrested,” he said.
“I can also tell you that the investigation, in part, is as a result of complaints from a hospital which deals with the complications in patients that arise from the illegal abortions.”
Rheeder could not say how many foetuses had been found, but confirmed that health regulations had been contravened.
“This is part of a very long and very challenging investigation,” he said.
“It would appear that today’s action is just the tip of the iceberg and so we do not want to jeopardise the investigation by revealing too much at this stage.”
Police would not allow access to the building, which is occupied by traditional healers and other businesses.
In a grisly scene outside the building, however, forensic pathology services workers were seen struggling to carry the foetuses out of the building on a stretcher and placing them in the back of their vehicle.
A caretaker at the building, who did not want to be identified, said she had no idea that there were foetuses on the premises, but that she believed the tenant who was involved in the raid “had a permit” to conduct her business.
A stand-alone signboard outside the building advertised “Mother and Child Health Care Services” and offered both antenatal and postnatal services, but there was no mention of abortion.
A man close to the raid, who would not be identified, said the foetuses had been found in a chest freezer in the building.
No further details were available last night.
The Mother and Child Health Care Services operation made headlines in 2014 when a then 17-year-old girl was admitted to Dora Nginza Hospital after claiming she had visited the Govan Mbeki clinic for abortion assistance.
The girl was given pills to take which led to her being admitted to hospital.
Management at Dora Nginza had called for a criminal probe into the clinic at the time.
VIA - heraldlive.co.za
PORT ELIZABETH - HORRIFIC DISCOVERY OF FOETUSES PACKED IN A FREEZER
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