A YOUNG woman has pleaded guilty of dumping her newborn baby in a trash beside her home.
This after she delivered her baby in the bedroom by herself.
The 19 year-old entered her guilty plea to the charge of Concealing Birth of a Child when she appeared on Friday in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
Following her guilty plea, Chief Magistrate Emma Garo adjourned the matter to November 11 for sentencing submissions and mitigation.
Public Prosecutor Myrella Cleven told the court that the defendant was in a relationship with a boy who was doing his form six at a school in West Honiara last year.
At that time, the defendant was doing her form six at a school in Central Honiara.
Ms Cleven said in 2023, the defendant and her boyfriend had unprotected sex and the defendant missed her menstrual cycle.
She said the defendant then told her boyfriend she missed her menstrual cycle and her boyfriend ended the relationship.
Ms Cleven said, the boyfriend also blocked the defendant on Facebook and abandoned her.
In June this year, the defendant experienced strong pain in her lower abdomen and back but did not suspect she was pregnant.
According to the brief facts, the defendant had similar experience and took pregnancy text but was negative; hence, she did not suspect she was pregnant.
On 13 June this year, the defendant did not attend school as she felt sever pain, and suspected she might be pregnant.
The court heard the defendant fainted twice whilst struggling with the pain inside her bedroom.
At around 5pm, she gave birth to a baby.
Ms Cleven said, the defendant held the baby but the baby was not moving or breathing and then she fainted a third time.
It was heard, when she regained conscious, she was still holding the baby in her arms and was crying in pain.
She felt weak, afraid and stressed as she lost a lot of blood.
Around 6pm and 7pm, she went and wrapped the baby and the umbilical cord in a Lavalava (cloth) and put it in a rubbish bin outside her parent’s house.
After that, she returned inside the house, had her shower and lay down on her bed.
Her brother came and noticed the blood stains and told their father who arranged a transport to rush the defendant to the hospital.
The defendant was admitted on that same day.
The body of the baby was found on Saturday, June 15.
Following the finding, police did an investigation and arrested the defendant.
Defence counsel Donation Houa represents the defendant.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
