KZN teen mother arrested over her one-year-old’s death

Police have arrested a 17-year-old mother after the death of her one-year-old child.

Speaking to The Citizen on Wednesday, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the child was shot and killed at a residence in Umlazi on Monday.

“At the time, the mother told police that she was outside the house in the yard when she heard the sound of a gunshot going off from inside the house, where her son was alone.

“She further claimed that when she went inside to investigate, she found her son lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to the head and that she saw no one leaving the house.”

However, further investigations by police led to them believing that the teen was lying.

“It is suspected that the mother was playing with a gun when a bullet accidentally went off and killed her son.”

The woman will appear in the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, facing a charge of murder.

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Teen arrests, Child Justice Act

Netshiunda did not confirm if the teenager would be tried as an adult. However, the Child Justice Act has been applied in previous cases involving minors.

In South Africa, the prosecution of minors involves specific legal considerations, as explained by Adéle van Schalkwyk of Burger Huyser Attorneys.

According to van Schalkwyk, while minors follow similar trial processes to adults, they receive special protections such as adult accompaniment and name confidentiality, though these can be waived by magistrates.

Children under 12 years old are considered to have limited criminal capacity, while those over 14 years old are deemed more accountable for their actions.

It is worth noting that minors can receive life sentences, and their sentencing requires input from social workers.

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Teen pregnancy — an ongoing challenge

The tragic incident comes amid a surge of reported births by minors and teenagers over the festive season.

There were approximately over 100 teenage births during the festive season. The youngest mother who gave birth on New Year’s Day was only 12 years old.

In another incident on Boxing Day, a 23-year-old was arrested and is currently seeking bail facing charges of statutory rape, after he impregnated a 13-year-old.

These pregnancies have raised concerns and outrage about the ongoing challenge of teenage pregnancy.

The Department of Health has called upon all sectors of society, particularly families, to join forces with government and non-governmental organisations in addressing the persistent challenge of teenage pregnancy in South Africa.

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