Chatsworth mother who claimed toddler (3) died after falling in the bath, charged with murder
The 26-year-old woman appeared at the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court, where she faced charges including murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and child neglect.
A Chatsworth mother has been arrested and charged with murder after her three-year-old daughter died on July 11, 2023. The post-mortem examination revealed extensive injuries, including bruises from head to toe and signs of sexual assault. Magistrate Stephanie Botes questioned why no one had been charged for the sexual assault. The mother appeared in Chatsworth Magistrate's Court on Friday, where she faced additional charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and child abuse.
Bail was set at R2,500. The child's four-year-old sibling was removed from her custody and placed in a children's home pending further investigations. The mother claimed the child fell in the bath, but the pathologist disputed this, stating the injuries were inconsistent with a fall. The investigating officer, Sergeant Thobeka Christina Matenjwa, said the mother had lived with her partner and the deceased child in Westcliff from June 2023 until her death.
She was arrested and charged in July 2026 after investigators gathered evidence and statements from witnesses. The charge of murder carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
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