COPS arrested a 20-year-old man on Wednesday for allegedly killing his own child.
Lerato Mashiyane (22), the mum of the child, told Daily Sun her 18-month-old son Sibusiso was found dead at her boyfriend’s house after the man started beating her and she ran away.
She said she was carrying Sibusiso on her back just before Christmas when her drunk boyfriend attacked her. She ran for her life, leaving the child behind.
The young mum from Msholozi Village, near KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, said the baby fell from her back and she had no time to pick him up before fleeing.
“The trouble started when my boyfriend came to my home drunk and dragged me out. He started beating me for no reason,” she said.
“I didn’t think he would harm our baby. I went home, and my boyfriend’s sister later phoned me to say my baby wasn’t well.
“I asked my mum to fetch my little boy. I was shocked when she told me she found Sibusiso lying dead on the sofa.
“Two days later, my boyfriend said he was sorry for killing my baby. He said he did it because he was very drunk.”
Lerato’s mum, Ellen Malemela (47), said when she picked Sibusiso up, she saw he had a big swollen wound on the back of his head.
“There were teeth marks on his stomach, his left hand was broken and he was holding his private parts with his right hand. We took him to the hospital and he was confirmed dead,” she said.
Police spokesman Brigadier Leonard Hlathi confirmed that a suspect was arrested and will appear in court soon on a murder charge.