PRETORIA — A Pretoria High Court has convicted a former midwife, Yolande Maritz Fouchee, of culpable homicide following the tragic death of a newborn under her care at her Murrayfield-based facility, You and Me Midwife-led Maternity Care. The conviction came after a nine-day-old baby, Noah Von Kloeg, died in 2019 due to complications Fouchee failed to address.
Fouchee, 48, was also found guilty of six counts of assault, fraud, employment of an unqualified person, and five counts of assault involving a legal duty. The charges stemmed from her actions between 2019 and 2020, during which she conducted prenatal check-ups and assisted in births at her facility. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleged that Fouchee ignored pregnancy complications and misled patients about her capabilities.
Despite her plea of not guilty, evidence presented by Fouchee’s daughter, victims, and expert witnesses from Steve Biko Academic Hospital led to her conviction. The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, welcomed the judgment, expressing hope that it would bring justice and closure to the affected families.
Fouchee is scheduled to appear in court again on May 25, 2026, for sentencing proceedings.
Source: enca
Original author: Zandile.Khumalo
