Teen mom gets six years for murdering seven-month-old baby

A TEENAGE mother from Paulpietersburg, who stabbed and killed her seven-month-old baby, Aphiwe, was sentenced to an effective six years in prison.
Eighteen year old Nompumelelo Nyati believed that killing her baby was the only option, stating in her written plea that she was too poor to care for the child on her own and that the child’s father and his family refused to help her.
Nyati’s was receiving a child grant from the state of R300-00, but it came to an end in February.
The teenager’s mother allegedly kicked her out of the family home when she fell pregnant, after which she moved in with her paternal grandmother, but had no income and could not contribute to the household, placing a strain on their relationship.
On May 2 she went to the baby’s father and his family again, asking them to keep the baby, but they turned her away.
Nyati returned home, placed her defenceless child on the ground and stabbed the baby once in the chest, after which she went to the neighbours to report what she had done.
“I can’t comprehend how a right-thinking person takes a weapon and stabs a baby,” said Pietermaritzburg judge Thoba Poyo-Dlwati, adding that killing a defenceless baby was unforgivable.
“Parents are supposed to protect and love their children,” she said, “You could have taken the child to social workers.”
While the correctional services report painted a bleak and unfortunate picture in the young girl’s defence, of poverty, divorced parents and an abusive stepmother, Poyo-Dlwati stated that many other teenagers who have grown up with similar circumstances made something out of their lives.
She sentenced Nyati to an effective six years in prison, adding that the tragic act would always haunt the young woman, and that alone was a life punishment.
Youth for Survival founder, Moshy Mathe, said she had never heard of a teenage mother killing a baby older than a month and speculated that Nyati might have a mental disorder.
According to the Health Department, 94000 schoolgirls in South Africa fell pregnant in 2011.