High School Girl Gave Birth During Exam in Bekasi

Liputan6.com, Bekasi - A newborn was found by locals near the school wall in Sukaragam Village, Bekasi Regency, West Java on Monday (5/12/2022). This case highlights another problem with the lack of sex and reproductive health education in the country.

When found, the newborn still had her umbilical cord with her and was wrapped in the alma mater jacket of a public school.

It turned out that the newborn was left by a mother who is still a vocational high school student. The young mother gave birth during an exam day.

"So the baby was just born and was thrown away immediately. Her mother is a high school student and deliberately left the baby next to the school wall," said Josman, Chief of Indonesian Sector Police in Serang Baru.

After investigating, the police finally found and caught the 17-year-old mother of the baby at her house.

According to Josman, the body of the baby was found for the first time by locals. The baby's little body was wrapped in an alma mater with her fingers poking out.

The locals then took the baby to a nearby clinic for help. Unfortunately, that little baby girl could not be saved.

"We evacuated the baby's body to the Bekasi Regency Regional Hospital," said Josman.

Josman said that the girl was taking a school examination. However, during the second session, her belly felt pain. She then decided to go to the bathroom and gave birth there.

"The student gave birth in the bathroom, then the baby was thrown next to the school wall," he explained.

After that, she returned home straight away and did not finish her exam. Police took the evidence such as the school coat, pad, school uniform, and white socks.

This case is handled by the Indonesia Sector Police of New Serang and the Metropolitan Resort Police of Bekasi. Police are also still looking for the details, including the whereabouts of her boyfriend. The police try to find her boyfriend as he is alleged to be the father of the newborn.

Access to abortion is extremely restrictive in Indonesia. The new criminal laws which just passed on Tuesday also affirm the criminalization for women who seek abortion. 

Under the new law, passed during the administration of President Joko Widodo, a woman can be jailed up 4 years if they abort their babies. Moreover, the doctors who assist her will also be punished.

Writer: Adelina Wahyu Martanti

Bam Sinulingga contributed to this report.