Two people from Alberton North in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, were condemned in the Johannesburg High Court for atrocious crimes against their children.
The 30-year-old mother and 41-year-old father were convicted of child abuse, rape, and murder in relation to the death of their two-year-old daughter and the mistreatment of their six-year-old son.
The court heard about the couple’s distressing history of abuse, which began in 2018 when the Department of Social Development (DSD) took the two youngsters from their parents’ custody owing to charges of negligence, drug usage, and child abuse.
Unfortunately, the parents reclaimed possession in December 2020 after a Children’s Court order.
The two-year-old daughter died on May 11, 2021, from injuries received during mistreatment.
The case was originally filed as an inquest docket, but an investigation led by Sergeant Steven Vukeya revealed a horrendous pattern of abuse that occurred between 2018 and 2021.
The horrible details disclosed stunned the courtroom.
The court heard about the suffering the children had to go through, including pouring boiling water on their six-year-old son in July 2018, frequently striking them with various items, smearing feces on their bodies, and forcing them to drink their vomit. The father also raped the two-year-old girl in the presence of her mother. This nasty behaviour went unchallenged.
During the trial, the probation officer’s report revealed the father’s history of substance misuse, including several rehabilitative attempts over the years.
During the sentencing process, the mother testified and showed responsibility for her acts, apologized to the family, and requested the court to acknowledge her regret. But she denied ever strangling her daughter. The father declined to testify.
The defense attorney begged for the court’s leniency, citing the couple’s professed contrition and the mother, a’relatively young parent’ with two other children who relied on her.
Senior State Prosecutor Riana Williams stated that the couple’s rights must be balanced against the public interest represented by the State.
She emphasized the gravity of domestic violence and child abuse in society and called for adequate punitive measures.
Advocate Williams emphasized that abusing children’s innocence is a crime that deserves harsh punishment, especially given its prevalence.
During the sentencing, the judge stated that the couple behaved with a single goal, committing their crimes in each other’s company and willfully ignoring the duty to report the occurrences. The court emphasized their lack of contrition and recognized society’s desire to be protected from people like the couple.
The court reiterated the judiciary’s duty in preventing and deterring such horrific activities.
The mother received two life sentences plus an additional 15 years in prison, while the father received life imprisonment plus 30 years. The court ordered that the new terms run simultaneously with the life sentences.
The court stated that the terms given send a clear message that child abuse and domestic violence will not be accepted in society, and those responsible will face serious consequences.
