Six babies' bodies found in plastic bags

JAKARTA (JP): The bodies of six babies wrapped in three plastic bags were found yesterday afternoon by residents on Jl. Warakas VI in North Jakarta.

The first four bodies were found at a garbage site under Tanjung Priok toll road, while the other two were found in a nearby ditch, said Maj. Jamal, head of Tanjung Priok police subprecinct.

"We intend to comb the surrounding area soon to look for any possible clues," he said.

Forensic expert Mun'im Idries, who examined the bodies, told reporters at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital that the first four bodies had been mutilated.

But, he said, further examinations would be carried out to find out whether they had been killed first, or abandoned to die.

The remaining two had been the victims of abortion.

"They're just fetuses but they already show their sex," he said, adding that the two were girls.

Judging by the state of the two little victims, Mun'im said he strongly believed that they had been dumped by an abortion clinic or an organized prostitution ring far from the scene.

Three of the first four bodies were boys, the other was a girl, Mun'im said.

A local resident, Ujang, said the first four bodies were found by teenagers who were playing football near the garbage dump.

The youngsters then called the elder residents for help.

According to Cipto hospital data the bodies of more than 50 babies have been dumped in and around the city this year alone.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday, criminologist Purnianti of University of Indonesia said that those who carried out such inhumane deeds could surely be charged under Article 341 of the Criminal Code which carries a maximum punishment of seven years in prison.

She said, however, that baby killing, or infanticide, and was primarily caused by two reasons: disgrace and financial difficulty.

"The mothers of the babies are actually also victims," she said.

"They are indeed doubly victims. First, they are victims of their deceitful lovers, who refuse to take responsibility for their relationship. Secondly, they are also blamed by society for having done such a disgraceful thing."

"I don't think that a 'normal' mother could throw away her child like that," she said. (04)