A recent incident at a South African university has left social media users in disbelief after a student revealed on TikTok that she helped her roommate deliver a baby in their residence room and attempted to hide the newborn.
The surprising revelation was made by TikTok user @lilitakomanisi, who posted a video featuring the sound of a crying baby in the background while she appeared to be studying. The video, captioned “POV: Your roommate secretly gave birth at res, now we have to hide a whole baby from everyone,” quickly went viral, sparking widespread concern and speculation online.
According to Lilita, she discovered that her roommate had given birth in their room without any adult supervision or medical assistance. Despite the risky nature of an unsupervised birth, the two students attempted to care for the baby themselves, alternating their class schedules so one could babysit while the other attended lectures. They even played loud music to mask the baby’s cries from others in the residence.https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMBsD3XSv/
Understandably, many internet users were alarmed by the situation. The primary concern centered around the health and safety of both the newborn and the mother, as they had not received immediate medical care following the birth. In South Africa, it is legally required to register a child’s birth as soon as possible, adding another layer of legal concern to the already troubling scenario.
Social media users flooded the comments section with questions and expressions of disbelief. One user asked, “Umbilical cord yona leye kwetse Kang mara (What did you cover the umbilical cord with?),” voicing worry over how the students managed basic postnatal care. Another user commented humorously, “To scroll is to see,” capturing the shock many experienced after seeing the video.
Eventually, Lilita realized the gravity of the situation and reported it to the residence manager, who acted swiftly by taking both the mother and baby to a hospital for proper medical evaluation. Lilita later updated her followers, confirming that the mother and child were both doing well after receiving care.
While the video drew plenty of attention online, it also sparked broader conversations around access to reproductive health care, student support services, and the challenges young mothers may face in higher education institutions.
The incident, while unusual and shocking, serves as a reminder of the importance of support systems within university environments, and the necessity of ensuring students have access to appropriate health services and guidance.
As the story continues to circulate, many hope it leads to greater awareness and improved resources for students dealing with unexpected or crisis pregnancies.