LIMPOPO – A 30-year-old woman was arrested and charged with neglect after apparently chaining her 12-year-old daughter to a chair in a locked room.
The woman appeared in the the Bela-Bela Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of child neglect and was granted R500 bail. She could not pay and was remanded in custody until her next court appearance on 19 August.
In a statement, Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe said the woman was arrested on Wednesday, 16 July.
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Ngoepe says that on Tuesday morning at around 09:00, the police were contacted by residents who said they were concerned by a situation in which they suspected a child was being ill-treated. They claimed the mother would often lock the child alone inside the house.
Upon arrival at the house, the police found a disabled 12-year-old girl chained to a chair in a locked room. The police took the necessary steps to ensure that the child was safe and the woman was arrested.
The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Nneke Ledwaba commended the community for the tip-off.