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Slasher 'observed '

A woman accused of slashing open a pregnant neighbour's stomach and removing her baby is expected to undergo mental observation from today.

Loretta Cooke of Toekomsrus in Randfontein on the West Rand, is expected to be admitted to Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital following the incident in which she allegedly cut open Valencia Berens' stomach and stole her baby girl.

Cooke made a brief appearance in the Randfontein Magistrate's Court On Friday.

Berens' body was found in Cooke's home on January 6.

Her feet were tied together, her abdomen cut open and the baby girl - named Hope - was missing.

Berens allegedly died from blood loss.

Police had previously said they received an emergency call claiming that a child had been born in a house, but when they arrived, they found Berens lying in a pool of blood.

The baby survived the alleged attack and has since been returned to her father, Joseph Pieterse, after a brief stay in hospital.

The baby - Berens and Pieterse's fifth child - sustained a cut to the head during the incident.

The dead mother's friends and family members, including her brother William, aunt Francis Essop and Pieterse, were seated on one side of the courtroom, while Cooke's mother sat on the other.

Cooke was expected to formally apply for bail but that was put on hold pending a report from the psychiatric hospital.

The court heard that contact had been made with the hospital, but problems arose in reserving a bed for Cooke because the hospital didn't admit many female patients.

But preparations were well under way and Cooke would most likely be admitted today.

The case was postponed to March 9.

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