An 18-year-old teenager is expected to appear in the Gqeberha Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape this week for the murder of a four-year-old boy.
The suspect was arrested by police on Sunday, March 22.
The provincial police spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse Van Rensburg, said the incident took place in Walmer.
“According to reports, at approximately 1.45am, SAPS members responded to a complaint of a murder at a residence in Tshanga Street, Walmer location. Upon arrival, the first responder discovered the lifeless body of a four-year-old foreign national boy lying in a pool of blood inside the house,” Janse Van Rensburg said.
The toddler was sleeping in a separate room in the home with his older brother at the time of the murder.
“The parents reportedly became concerned and went to check, and they found him covered in blood. They immediately contacted the police for assistance,” Janse Van Rensburg said.
The 18-year-old was arrested on the scene for the murder of the young boy.
“The motive for the incident is currently unknown and forms part of ongoing investigations,” Janse Van Rensburg said.
Anti-gender-based violence organisation Ilitha Labantu condemned the killing.
The organisation’s spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakali, said the circumstances surrounding the incident are deeply troubling and have raised concerns about the safety of children in their own homes.
“As an organisation committed to ending violence and protecting the rights and dignity of women and children, Ilitha Labantu condemns this act. No child should be harmed, particularly in a space where they should feel safe.
“This incident highlights the urgent need to strengthen child protection systems, improve community-based safety mechanisms, and ensure that risks to children are identified and addressed early,” Monakali said.
The organisation further called on law enforcement authorities to conduct a thorough and timely investigation.
