Young father allegedly hangs baby, then himself

The police are investigating a possible murder-suicide after a 25-year-old man allegedly hanged his 16-month-old son before hanging himself at his house at Maebane near Makhado in Limpopo on Sunday morning.

Wife of the deceased Nkhumeleni Ramuluvhana said Collen Matambela had visited her earlier in the day at her house and fetched his 16-month-old son, Rinae Junior Ramuluvhana, she told Polokwane Review.

According to her, the deceased later phoned and told her she had seen him and the child for the last time. When he continued to phone repeating the same threat, she rushed to the police station to report the matter. But when she arrived at the scene with the police, it was too late.

ALSO READ: Man allegedly shoots wife and baby girl, 1, before killing himself in Mpumalanga

Capricorn Review paid the family a visit on Sunday.

Lilian Matambela, sister of Matambela, said the incident had caught them off guard.

“It came as a shock to us, having to lose two people in one day. We are very sad,” she said.

According to police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe, the circumstances leading to the tragedy are still sketchy, but the man is suspected of having accused his wife of having a lover.

“We have opened an inquest case,” said Ngoepe.

“We would like to urge people to desist from violence in the event of misunderstandings. They should rather try to resolve their disputes in an amicable manner or opt for counselling to avoid unnecessary loss of life.”

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