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Mother arrested for allegedly murdering son in Western Cape
This was the second such incident in the Western Cape in recent weeks after a mother was arrested for the death of her newborn.
Police had enough evidence to secure the arrest of the 39-year-old mother. Picture: SAPS
A mother will appear in court on Tuesday after she was arrested in connection with her son’s death.
The seven-year-old boy was declared dead by paramedics at his home in Outdshoorn on 11 August under unconfirmed circumstances.
An inquest docket was upgraded to a murder investigation after a post-mortem revealed the boy died as a result of strangulation.
Mother facing murder charges
Police arrived at the Bridgeton scene around 11.30am where they found the lifeless child in a bedroom.
No arrest was immediately made but by 21 August, police had enough evidence to secure the arrest of the 39-year-old mother.
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The woman remains in custody and will appear in the Outdshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
Newborn found dead along highway
In a separate incident, a 23-year-old Plettenberg Bay woman was arrested in connection with the death of a newborn baby.
Police were called to a scene along the N2 highway near KwaNokuthula on 19 August after a member of the public had discovered the body of a female infant believed to be a few days old.
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Investigations led to a nearby hospital where police cross-checked the females who had recently given birth.
“The woman was tracked down at KwaNokuthula and arrested for murder,” confirmed Western Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies.
“[She] is expected to make her first court appearance in the Plettenberg Bay Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 26 August,” he added.
285 children murdered in three months
Unicef revealed the extent of violence committed against children revealed the extent of violence committed against children in a report earlier this year.
Using the crime stats released for the final quarter of 2023, the organisation stated that 285 children were murdered between October and December of that year.
Additionally, 2 707 survived attempted murder, assault or grievous bodily harm during the same period.
The figures were an 11% decline on the same period for the previous year and only reflect incidents reported to police.
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