North West mother confesses to son’s murder after year-long disappearance

A North West community made a major crime breakthrough after they got a mother to confess to killing her son and burying him in a shallow grave. This was a year after the child’s disappearance.

A 31-year-old mother confessed to community members and a councillor that she and her boyfriend killed her four-year-old boy and buried him in a shallow grave in the bushes.

The mother and her 26-year-old boyfriend were nabbed by the police for the toddler’s death on Thursday evening.

North West police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Funani said reports revealed the couple allegedly killed the boy and buried him in a shallow grave in the bushes on the outskirts of Boitekong.

“Subsequent to the incident, residents of Extension 4 became suspicious when they did not see the child anymore. According to information, the child was last seen by neighbours in July 2023,” Funani said.

Mother confessed to community and councillor

“They started asking questions, but the mother would make up stories. This week, members of the community decided to involve their councillor, and they approached the mother, who allegedly confessed,” said Funani .

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After the mother’s confession, the councillor and community members handed her over to the police with her boyfriend, and they were charged with murder.

The couple will appear before the Rustenburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The North West police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, condemned the incident and congratulated the members of the community for not taking the law into their own hands and working together with the police in arresting the suspects.

“He instructed the detectives to do everything in their power to ensure that justice is served,” Funani said.

Toddler strangled

Meanwhile, tragically, on 30 June this year, a 22-year-old male allegedly strangled a one-year-old toddler to death at Zuma View, Bela Bela, Limpopo.

The police said the toddler’s mother was outside the room while he was sleeping when the suspect, her nephew, entered the room and strangled the little boy.

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“The grandfather of the toddler was called for help, and he pushed the suspect away. The child was taken to the nearest hospital for medical attention but was later pronounced dead,” said Colonel Malesela Ledwaba.