Three children burn to death inside car

Three kids aged twelve, four and three were found inside a car burned beyond recognition at Bosplaas West Mathabe stand in Temba north of Pretoria, Gauteng police said in a statement on Tuesday.

“An unknown person who was passing in the bushes saw a burned vehicle and noticed burned bodies and informed the police at around 14:00 today [Tuesday],” police spokesperson Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said.

Makhubela said the children were reported kidnapped on Monday night by their mother, who claimed her boyfriend took the kids on New Year’s Eve while she was not around and threatened to kill them.

“The boyfriend, 40, was found hanging inside his RDP house in Mathibestad. He was found by the police when they were looking for him.

“The motive for the killing Is still unknown, a case of murder was opened at Temba and Makapanstad police opened inquest.

“The bodies will be taken for forensic test. Two boys belong to [the] complainant and the three year old boy to her younger sister.”