A 26-year-old woman and her 43-year-old brother have been arrested in Limpopo for the alleged murder of a newborn baby just a day after the child was born.
Police in Mankweng apprehended the siblings in Ga-Malatji, Lastehoop, following the disturbing discovery of the infant’s death on Wednesday, November 6.
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Woman and Brother Arrested in Limpopo for Alleged Murder of Newborn
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba told Daily Sun that the woman reportedly gave birth at home, where she and her brother allegedly attacked the newborn, stabbing the baby with a sharp object.
“Our preliminary investigation established that the infant’s mum and her brother killed the baby after she was born at home. The two suspects were linked to the incident and immediately arrested,” said Mashaba.
The police have not yet confirmed the motive behind the alleged killing, and further investigations are underway.
Condemnation For The Heinous Crime
The tragic incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with community leaders expressing shock over the brutal nature of the crime.
Local Ward 5 Councillor, Legodi Kgala, expressed his dismay and clarified that the suspects were not residents of the area but had used their grandparents’ vacant property to bury the baby.
“The information we’re getting is that the culprits don’t reside in Ward 5. They committed this heinous crime and came to bury the deceased in the yard, which belongs to their grandparents,” said Kgala. “No one stays in this yard. Sometimes, we see foreign nationals, but we don’t have people staying here full-time. We’re still shocked and condemn this incident in the strongest possible terms.”
In the aftermath of the incident, Sandra Jansen van Rensburg, from Ngwana House, a children’s shelter in Polokwane, called on young parents in distress to seek help rather than resorting to tragic actions.
“We believe these incidents can be avoided, if people know the right channels to follow when they want to give up their kids. It’s unfortunate that we continue losing innocent lives in this manner,” Van Rensburg said, encouraging the public to reach out to her organization for support.
The suspects are expected to appear in the Mankweng Magistrates Court soon as police continue to gather evidence in the case.