Mum who claimed she’d given birth to record ten babies is admitted to psychiatric ward after ‘inventing story’
A SOUTH African woman who claimed she gave birth to 10 babies from the same pregnancy has been admitted to a psychiatric ward for “inventing” the story.
Police arrested Gosiame Sithole, 37, at a relative’s house near Johannesburg in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Sithole was taken to a police station in Chloorkop days after being reported missing by estranged partner, Teboho Tsotetsi.
Police said the women had not committed a crime but did discharge her into the care of Gauteng Department of Social Development staff, who then took her to a hospital.
The 37-year-old woman hit headlines when she claimed she gave birth to decuplets at a hospital in the city of Pretoria on June 7.
She then accused her partner’s relatives of taking donations from the public meant for the newborns, despite their claims that they did not exist.
Sithole’s lawyer Refiloe Mokoena claims she is being held against her will and that she will apply for a court order to secure her release.
She said that her client was initially denied legal access and that her request to visit a private psychologist was turned down.
Mokoena told reporters: “She declined that she should be taken to Tembisa Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation because she felt strongly that she is of sound mind.”
According to news site IOL, the con artist has been subjected to “mental torture” and “starvation” since entering the hospital.
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The lawyer added: “When I left Tembisa Hospital, she made it clear that seeing that she is now being held against her will, I should please move an urgent court order for her to be released.”
A protest against her internment was due to be held by relatives, friends and activists outside the hospital on Friday, though it was not reported if it went ahead.
The decuplets’ existence has still not been confirmed or disproved, and Independent Media, which broke the story, has since accused the authorities of a “cover-up”.