Former Pretoria midwife sentenced to 23 years in jail
The Pretoria high court has sentenced former midwife Yolande Maritz Fouchee, to 23 years in prison after she was found guilty in April of this year for accounts culpable homicide, assault and fraud.
Foushee appeared at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Thursday for sentencing after she was found guilty in April for criminal charges that laid against her in 2020 at Silverton Police Station. The arrest comes after she was reported to the South African Nursing council.
Foushee was found guilty of one count of fraud, employing an unqualified person, six counts of assault, and five counts of assault with legal duty. A mother found closure following her sentencing for the culpable homicide of her 9-day old son, Noah Von Kloeg. Foushee had allegedly overlooked pregnancy complications and failed to refer patients to appropriate medical specialists, citing low risk.
Evidence presented
Evidence presented to the courts showed that her conduct when delivering babies included secretly administering water mixed with Cyotec [a prescription medication that mimics prostaglandins to reduce stomach acid and protect the gastric lining] or Oxytoxin [a powerful neuropeptide and hormone produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland] to induce and augment labour without the knowledge of the mother or consent in several incidents.
The sentence
During sentencing, her defence argued for correctional supervision, citing that she is a first offender and unemployed, however, the state argued that she showed no signs of remorse and continued to deny for responsibility for her actions.
Judge Mokhine Mosopa read her his judgement on the case. Her sentence includes eight years imprisonment for culpable homicide, five years for each count of assault and assault involving a legal duty, and two years for fraud. Mosopa ordered that some of her sentences run concurrently, leading to an effective 23-year jail sentence.
Foushee who was seen smiling before the court proceeding went underway soon turned indifferent and emotionless.
