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Plaxcedes Hove Court Reporter
A 28-YEAR-OLD Cowdray Park woman who strangled and buried her new-born baby girl minutes after giving birth in her parents’ home has told the court that the pregnancy was a mistake as contraceptives failed her. Princess Dube said this shortly before she was sentenced to perform 700 hours of community service at ZRP Luveve for the infanticide on Thursday.

A suspicious tenant at her parents’ home noticed that Princess was no longer pregnant and his curiosity exposed the crime.
Dube pleaded guilty and told the court that she committed the crime because the baby was “a mistake” that she could not afford to keep.

“I killed the baby because I had no money to take care of her. I am a mother of two and I am struggling to fend for the two children I have. I took contraceptive pills but they failed me hence I had no option but to kill the baby,” she said.

The state led by Sibekithemba Dube said Princess was exposed by a tenant after she killed her baby.
“On August 24 Dube started feeling labour pains and moved out of the spare bedroom where she was sleeping with her young sister.
“At around 1AM she gave birth to a live baby girl that was heard crying out by their tenant, Farai Chingombe,” said Dube.

Dube also said that Chingombe confronted Princess after she came back home covered in blood.
“Chingombe became suspicious and came out of his room only to find Dube coming from outside. He asked her what had transpired and she claimed she had hurt herself.

“The following day, Chingombe came back from work and noticed that Dube was no longer pregnant and upon questioning her she admitted killing the baby,” said the prosecutor.

The court also heard that Princess, accompanied by residents, showed them where she had buried the baby near a shallow stream. A post-mortem report which was presented in court showed that Princess’ baby died of asphyxia and undue care at birth.

It also revealed that the baby had reached full nine months and that the baby’s umbilical cord wasn’t cut at birth and that it was still attached to the placenta.