A teenage mother from Munzhedzi village was arrested on Sunday, 3 August, for allegedly strangling her three-month-old son to death.
The SAPS's provincial spokesperson, Malesela Ledwaba, confirmed the arrest. "A case of murder was opened by the Bandelierkop SAPS and is being investigated by the FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences) unit," he said.
According to Ledwaba, the 20-year-old woman had been sitting with relatives outside their home when she took the baby inside. Moments later, they caught her allegedly strangling the child. Ledwaba said the baby was taken to the local hospital, where he was declared dead.
"A case of murder was immediately opened and the suspect was traced and subsequently apprehended for the murder of a three-month-old victim," Ledwaba said. He added that the motive behind the incident was unknown. The woman appeared in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate's Court on 5 August.
A representative of the local community, Mr Muvhango Masindi, said the village was in shock. "We are ashamed, and this incident has stripped us of our dignity. We don't know what to say or do, but we are all shocked that something like this could happen in our village. For now, we are trying to comfort the grieving family in every way we can," Masindi said.