Parents sentenced for murder and abuse of one-year-old daughter

The Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court sent a strong message against crimes targeting children by sentencing a couple for brutally murdering and abusing their one-year-old daughter.

The man (25) and woman (20) were sentenced to life imprisonment and 15 years, respectively, for the premeditated murder of their daughter.

The court sentenced the woman to 15 years under the Child Justice Act, as she had been a minor at the time of the offence.

Couple sentenced for brutal murder of baby girl

On 15 May 2022, the couple woke up at the woman’s residence and noticed their daughter was unresponsive. The parents called their neighbours, and upon their arrival, the pair realised that the child had died.

The couple then notified the mother’s family, community members, and the police. When the police arrived, they arrested the couple at the scene.

ALSO READ: Child abuse suspect nabbed in Roodepoort

In court, the couple pleaded not guilty, claiming that they didn’t know what happened to the toddler.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the couple told the court that the child had been crying the previous night, but they didn’t know what was wrong, and they fell asleep.

“However, State Prosecutor Hanlie du Preez led compelling evidence from a pathologist, which revealed that the child had been severely abused, with four broken ribs, bruises, and bite marks on her body,” Mahanjana said.

Evidence showed child was severely abused

During sentencing proceedings, the defence requested a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentences, arguing that the father was a first-time offender who had been in custody for over two years, and that the mother, a minor at the time, lacked parental guidance.

However, Du Preez urged the court to impose the prescribed sentence of life imprisonment, asserting that the couple had deliberately abused their one-year-old child. The prosecutor also stated that the community felt outraged by the incident and looked to the court to deliver justice.

ALSO READ: Only 4% of child abuse cases lead to convictions, report finds

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Pieter Nel agreed with the prosecution, finding that the couple showed no remorse and that the child had suffered prolonged abuse. He stressed the need to protect society from such people.

“The NPA hopes this sentence sends a strong message that gender-based violence (GBV) and crimes against children remain a priority and will be prosecuted without fear or favour,” Mahanjana said.

Five years for child abuse

The court also sentenced the couple to five years’ direct imprisonment for child abuse and declared both unfit to work with children or possess a firearm.

In addition, the man, a Mozambican national, received a two-year direct imprisonment sentence for being in South Africa illegally. The court ruled that all the man’s sentences run concurrently with the life sentence.