Mother allegedly killed baby after child's father refused to speak to her

A three-month-old baby was killed, allegedly at the hands of her scorned mother. Stock photo.
A three-month-old baby was killed, allegedly at the hands of her scorned mother. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/ Arthit Marsing

A 24-year-old woman is in custody, accused of killing her three-month-old baby girl, say Mpumalanga police.

The young mother visited her baby's father at his workplace on a farm at Avontuur, near Middelburg, on Friday evening, said Brig Leonard Hlathi.

The man refused to let her and the baby inside. “She allegedly threatened to kill their baby if he did not open the door. It is said that the woman then threw the infant on the ground.”

Police and paramedics responded, but the child was certified dead. 

She was arrested on a murder charge.

“The investigation has revealed that the woman is originally from Zimbabwe and is not in possession of legal documents to be in SA. A charge of contravention of the Immigration Act has been added to the murder charge,” said Hlathi.

Provincial police commissioner Maj-Gen Thulani Phahla strongly condemned the incident and labelled it as inhumane. He urged parents not to use children to settle relationship scores.

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