Mom forced to feed her baby poison at gunpoint
The suspect was initially arrested on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, and more serious charges were later added.
Photo for illustrative purposes.
An 11-month-old baby is dead and the mother in a critical condition after the child’s father allegedly forced the mother to feed poison to her child and drink it herself at gunpoint, Zululand Observer reports.
The incident occurred earlier this month at Nkodibe Reserve near KwaMsane, Mtubatuba in KwaZulu-Natal.
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By the time police officers were called to the scene, the baby had succumbed to the poison and the mother was in a critical condition.
She was rushed to KwaMsane Clinic for treatment and transferred to hospital.
The 30-year-old man was arrested on the scene and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
The rifle used by the man to hold his girlfriend at gunpoint while he forced her and their child to drink poison PHOTO: KwaMsane SAPS
Once the mother had recovered sufficiently to give a statement, she told investigating officers that she and the suspect had argued over the fact he had reconciled with his ex-girlfriend.
She told police officers that the suspect’s plan was to kill her and the baby so he could move back in with his former girlfriend.
The suspect initially appeared at KwaMsane Magistrate’s Court where the case was postponed for bail application and he was remanded in custody.
Following a postmortem confirming the child’s death from the poison, the inquest docket was changed to attempted murder and murder, and the suspect was formally charged on both counts at the KwaMsane Magistrate’s Court.
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