KwaZulu Natal (Hazelmere): Officers from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) and the South African Police Services (SAPS) responded to a call on Thursday evening in Hazelmere.
In the call, the person asked for assistance from a community that discovered a child who was severely assaulted & abused over several months.
On arrival, RUSA officers found a four (4) year old girl with open wounds to her face, body & upper lip. The child was handed over to Reaction Officers by the Community members.
When inspected, the child was found with several open wounds on her back, a missing tooth, a burst lip, facial injuries and scars from previously healed wounds on her body.
The community that gathered informed Officers that the child was repeatedly assaulted by her biological mother and father over a period of time.
She had sustained injuries and was never provided with medical assistance. It could not be established if her missing tooth was the result of an assault.
On Wednesday evening, the girl returned home from playing with children in the area. Both parents questioned the child regarding her whereabouts throughout the day and again assaulted and locked her indoors with her five-month-old twin siblings. The injured child sought assistance from the neighbours when her parents left for work earlier on Thursday.
A family member living in the vicinity is believed to have recorded the assault on her mobile phone. According to the information received, the short video shows the grade RR child being assaulted with a clothing iron by both her parents. The family member in possession of the video could not be immediately located.
Police Officers placed the mother under arrest and detained her at SAPS Verulam. When Officers arrived at the father’s place of employment, intending to detain him, he could not be located. Both parents face charges relating to Child Abuse / Neglect.