This is the sentiment of Madelein Labuschange (35), who saw the woman responsible for her daughter’s death sentenced to a mere eight years in prison.
Linda Hope (25), a Springs resident, was sentenced to 10 years, of which two were suspended, by Judge Mahomed Ismail in the Pretoria High Court yesterday (Thursday).
Linda will effectively spend eight years in jail for the death of her stepdaughter Christebelle Labuschagne (two years old at the time) on April 6, 2014.
She was initially charged with abusing and murdering the child but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide for which she was found guilty and sentenced.
She was also declared unfit to work with children and her name will be entered into the child protection register.
Speaking after the sentencing, Madelein said that watching her niece, who is two months younger than Christebelle, and nephew, who was born on the same day as Christebelle, grow up breaks her heart.
“I’m trying to put the pieces together with glue but the cracks will always show,” she says.
The toddler died after she visited her biological father Wynand Hope (31) and his family in April last year.
On March 31, Christebelle was in Linda’s care when, Linda claimed, she
fell off a couch resulting in her being admitted to the N17 hospital.
Following a series of tests, Christebelle underwent brain surgery at 6pm that evening to drain blood off her brain.
Wynand said, at the time, after about an hour the doctor informed them
she had suffered from severe bleeding on the brain.
He said according to the doctor the injuries were definitely not from a bump on the head as he has only seen such severe brain damage twice in his life.
The child was admitted to the ICU after the operation and on April 4 the doctor informed the parents that the child was brain dead.
“We were shocked when she died on April 6, as we stayed with her all the time praying and hoping we would be able to see our quiet loving child again,” said Wynand.
In her plea explanation, Linda admitted that she had become angry and scolded and shook her stepdaughter aggressively when the child played with her food.
She said the child had cried continuously and she hit her “very forcefully with an open hand”, causing Christabelle to fall backwards and stop crying.
Linda said that she immediately realised she had “gone too far” and that something was seriously wrong with the child who was unconscious.
She then attempted to wake her up, in the bathroom, by splashing water on her but, when she was unsuccessful, realised Christebelle would need to be taken to hospital.
She claims she said Christebelle had fallen as she was afraid of the consequences if the truth came to light.
“I trusted them (Wynand and Linda) with my daughter but she never returned home and I had to bury her in a white and pink coffin,” says Madelein.
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