Baby's body lay in sun for 7 hrs
2008-07-01 09:40
Johannesburg - The body of an 18-month-old toddler lay in the sun for seven hours on Monday, next to the pool where he had drowned earlier in the day.
The Gauteng authorities were apparently "too busy" to fetch the body.
Beeld was on the scene when the hearse arrived at the house in South Hills in southern Johannesburg at about 16:00.
A pathology services staff member picked up Christiano Nortjé's naked body and ran with it to the vehicle before driving off at great speed.
Christiano's mother Sarah Nortjé did not have a chance to say goodbye one last time.
"I would be pleased if you could pray for me now, as only God knows of the pain I will go through now," she said.
Nortjé, a domestic worker, saw her son floating on the water after she happened to look out of the window. She thought Christiano was with her other son Herold, 14, in their back room on the property of her employer, Antoinette Maylor.
'Very busy day'
Maylor, who was present during the morning, had begged police to do something.
"Surely they can't keep a mother waiting inside the house the whole day, knowing that her baby is lying dead in the sun outside?
"They said they had a very busy day."
Christiano was pronounced dead at 08:55 after a neighbour and paramedic, Rickus Oosthuizen, tried in vain to resuscitate him.
Christiano had apparently gained entry to the swimming pool after a gate, which was normally tied shut with ropes, had been left open that day, said Maylor.
Gauteng health authority spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said they had received a request at 14:40 to pick up the body.
She confirmed they were at the house at about 16:00.
"I would say that was a reasonable time to arrive on a scene," she said.
Mngadi would not comment on any other allegations. The case is being investigated.