A 23-year-old mother from Limpopo is set to appear in the Sekhukhune Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges of child neglect following the death of her six-month-old baby.
Police reports indicate that the woman allegedly left the baby in the care of a 12-year-old family member on Thursday morning, October 10, before going on a drinking spree.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, confirmed that officers responded to an incident at Atok village in the Apel area, Sekhukhune District, on Saturday night around 11 PM, where they discovered the infant’s lifeless body.
The Limpopo Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, expressed concern over the incident and stressed the importance of child welfare.
“This tragic event is a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with parenthood and the severe consequences of neglect,”* Hadebe said. She urged the public to report cases of child neglect to prevent further tragedies.
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In a related incident, an American woman named Alexandra Eckersley was arrested in July after abandoning her newborn in freezing conditions shortly after giving birth in a wooded area.
Eckersley told the court she believed the baby had died at birth. She now faces multiple charges, including assault, reckless conduct, falsifying evidence, and endangering the welfare of a child. Eckersley has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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