Mom of raped toddler charged with negligence
The mother who left her toddler alone at home while she went to drink at a tavern should also face criminal charges, say angry Mpophomeni residents after the little girl was raped at her home on Friday night.
After raping the 19-month-old child the unknown suspect set the house alight. Seeing the flames, neighbours rushed to the scene and rescued the child, who sustained bruises and head injuries.
Pietermaritzburg police spokesperson, Sergeant Sifiso Gwala confirmed that the mother was arrested for child neglect on Saturday.
He added that police are investigating a case of rape and attempted murder, but no arrests have been made yet.
“It is alleged that the neighbours saw the house on fire and went to assist in putting it out. While they were still trying to extinguish the fire, they went inside to check if there was anyone in the house when they saw the child trying to crawl out. The child had a head injury and also suffered from smoke inhalation,” said Gwala.
The mother was due to appear in the Howick Magistrate’s Court on Monday but the case was not enrolled on the court roll for the day.
Recalling the horrific sequence of events on Friday night, the mother’s aunt said she and other neighbours rushed to the home when they saw the house on fire.
“I immediately rushed the child to the clinic for burn wounds, but realised that she was bleeding from her private parts. It was confirmed at the clinic that she had been raped. She is currently recovering in hospital,” the aunt said.
She told the publication it was not the first time the mother had left the toddler alone while she went out drinking.
I moved out of the family home due to the abuse I received from her. She used to beat me up and bring men home and I then decided to leave for my children’s safety. I still live in Mpophomeni so the neighbours used to call me or bring the child to me when they found her alone.
“I’ve tried so many times to take the child away from her but she always came back to take her from me scared that she would no longer get the child support grant,” the aunt said.
The aunt added that she was disappointed that the mother was released and was also scared for her life, considering how upset the community was after this incident. She said that the child’s mother was beaten up by residents after she was found at a nearby tavern.
“The community is angry and also want the person who raped the child to be found soon and they don’t want [to see the mother] in the community,” the aunt said.
Ward councillor Thulani Mthalane urged police to apprehend the suspects.
“We hope that since the matter is with the police, it will be treated with care and will be resolved. We hope for calm and stability in the community as the police and family are dealing with this matter. Indeed this matter must be treated with respect and dignity it deserves,” said Mthalane.
Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development in KwaZulu-Natal Mhlaba Memela said child neglect is a criminal offence and the family should have notified the department earlier.
“Unfortunately substance abuse is a problem that affects a lot of families, including parents, and that’s why we always encourage them to inform the department to see what options are available to assist them when we encounter such challenges.
“This is negligence and the mother needs to face the law, as arresting her won’t be [the only] solution. It’s also important for her to get help,” said Memela.
He promised that social workers will be involved in ensuring the safety of the child.
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