In one of two separate cases of child neglect, a child was found to have been bitten by rats.
Two women, aged 22 and 36, have appeared in the Tembisa Magistrates Court, on Monday, after they allegedly neglected three minor children in two separate incidents.
The two women are facing charges of child neglect, with an additional assault charge for the woman whose child was bitten by rats.
Ivory Park SAPS communications officer, Capt Bernard Matimulane, said that, in one of the cases, one of the children, almost three years old, was found to have been bitten by rats after the mother left her and her four-year old brother overnight, because she was visiting the children’s father.
“The two women were arrested on Friday, last week,” Capt Matimulane added.
”Thanks must go to the members of the community who witnessed first-hand the situation these helpless toddlers found themselves in.
“The other woman was found by passers-by beating her child on the street, next to the Themba Khoza informal settlement, and when the community came for her she fled the scene.
“A member of the community then brought the child, who is two years old, to the police station and reported what had happened.”
Capt Matimulane explained that the community brought the plight of these children to the attention of the police.
“Both women have been taken to court and their cases have been handed over to the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigation.
“Two of the children have been taken to a place of safety, while the one who was bitten by the rats has been taken to hospital for treatment,” he said.
The Station Commander of the Ivory Park SAPS, Brig David Mbongeni Ngcobo, thanked the community for their vigilance.
He firmly believes that it is these kind of interventions from the community that will keep children safe at all times.
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