Baby fights for her life after attack

2010-04-23 09:06

Sapa and Beeld

Johannesburg - A year-old baby brutally assaulted during an apparent robbery in Randburg was still in a serious condition in hospital, an official said on Friday.

Sandton Medi-Clinic spokesperson Liezel Furlong said the baby girl's condition was serious but would not give any further details.

"At this stage nothing has changed and the child is still in a serious condition," she told Sapa.

Brutal attack

Police remain tight-lipped about their investigation into the attack at a house in Robin Hills, Randburg north of Johannesburg on Thursday, during which the baby and her caregiver were brutally attacked.

Colonel Eugene Opperman said he had spoken to the baby's mother and the caregiver, but would not share any more information with the media.

"The investigation will go on. We have nothing more to tell you than what we have already given out," he said.

Paramedics said the woman and baby were taken to hospital with serious head injuries.

"They were both transported to hospital in a critical condition," ER24 spokesperson Vanessa Jackson said.

The child minder was taken to Helen Joseph hospital with gashes to the forehead and behind her ear.

Skull fractures

Beeld reported that the baby's mother, Madelein Kruger, arrived home from work at 13:00 to find the baby unconscious and the caregiver beaten and tied up.

The baby was assaulted so badly that she sustained multiple skull fractures and stopped breathing.

Opperman told Beeld it was not known how many attackers had been at the house or how they had gained access.

He was also unable to say with what they had assaulted the victims.

Olga Rossouw, who lived across from the Kruger family, told Beeld that the baby's mother ran into her house shortly after 13:00 carrying the baby, who was limp and covered in blood.

"Ollie, Ollie, what should I do?!" she screamed at Rossouw.

The child was not breathing and had a huge wound above her right eye.

Rossouw pressed the emergency button linked to Piranha Security, a local security company.

A few minutes later their emergency workers arrived on the scene and immediately resuscitated the baby.

'Cowards'

Managing director of Piranha Security, Allan Stott, said after the baby started breathing again, they put her in an emergency vehicle and rushed her to hospital.

"On the way, she twice stopped breathing and they had to resuscitate her again," told Rossouw.

"Who would do something like that to a small, vulnerable baby?"

Opperman denounced the attackers as "cowards".

"Only cowards attack women and one-year-old babies. That is why we will turn over everything that has to be turned over to find these cowards," said Opperman.

Beeld learned that the baby's mother was too badly shocked to speak to police. She was later also taken to hospital.

It is believed that only a laptop and modem were missing from the house.

- SAPA