PRETORIA - A former Pretoria midwife who mixed water with Oxytocin to induce labour for her patients has been convicted of culpable homicide after one of the babies died.
Yolande Maritz Fouchee was delivering babies at her facility in Murrayfield.
You and Me Midwife-led Maternity Care was meant to be a haven for women during a precious time of their lives, but Fouchee took advantage of them.
A nine-day-old baby died due to complications Fouchee overlooked.
Baby Noah Von Kloeg died in 2019.
The Pretoria High Court convicted the owner and former midwife of You and Me Midwife-led Maternity Care on Thursday.
She 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 48-year-old's heinous crimes date back between 2019 and 2020 when she used to conduct prenatal check-ups and assisted women to give birth at her maternity care facility in Murrayfield.
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According to the National Prosecuting Authority, during the pregnancy and birthing process of those women, Fouchee would overlook pregnancy complications in respect of her patients and not refer them to the appropriate specialists.
She would also tell the pregnant women that she was capable of performing normal to low-risk deliveries.
According to NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, during the birthing process, Fouchee would offer the pregnant mothers water mixed with Cytotec or Oxytocin to induce and augment their labour without their knowledge.
It was not until 2020, when Fouchee was reported to the South African Nursing Council by the victims, leading to her arrest in 2024.
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Fouchee pleaded not guilty to the charges against her and denied committing the offences.
However, the state prosecutor, advocate Jennifer Cronje, led with evidence by Fouchee’s daughter, the victims and Professor Priya Soma-Pillay, as well as Professor Izelle Smuts, both experts from Steve Biko Academic Hospital, resulting in the verdict.
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in Gauteng, Advocate Marika Jansen Van Vuuren, welcomed the judgment.
She said she hoped that this judgment would provide some justice and closure to the victims and their families.
Fouchee will be back in court on 25 May 2026 for sentencing proceedings.