Little Jeremiah Ruiters of Kensington was raped before he was brutally stabbed, allegedly by his mother’s boyfriend.
In more shocking revelations, the child’s mother was also charged with his murder in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court yesterday.
Abigail Ruiters, 30, reacted with horror when she heard her boyfriend, C, 26, would also be facing a charge of rape of her one-year-old son.
Prosecutor advocate Jansen said although the accused have no pending or previous charges against them, the State would be opposing bail.
“These are serious charges; this is a murder of a child. The State will also be adding a charge of rape, and adding a murder charge along the child neglect charge,” Jansen said.
Furious
As family and friends burst into tears, a furious Ruiters screamed at Peters: “What did you do to my son?” before breaking down.
A confused-looking Peters said: “I didn’t do anything to him. I didn’t rape him. Nah, man, I didn’t.”
Ruiters stood in the corner of the dock sobbing while Peters kept trying to touch her.
She then shouted at the bailiff: “Get him away from me!”
Peters was looking after Jeremiah on 12 June while Ruiters went to work.
It is alleged that Peters beat, stabbed and raped the little boy at their home in Salmander Square, Kensington, before taking him to the local clinic where he was declared dead on arrival.
The defence for the couple, Advocate Abrahams, objected to Ruiters’ murder charge.
“She was at work when the child died and her alibi was followed up. My client is a first-time offender and already has the Children’s Act charge.
“She is the sole provider and has two other children aged three and eight. She is also six months pregnant and is a high-risk patient as she had a stillborn baby [recently]. I am asking the court to release her,” Abrahams requested.
Jansen stated that Ruiters will be moved to the hospital section due to her high-risk pregnancy.
Abrahams also asked if she could assess the matter as she might recuse herself from one of the accused.
Outside court, tension was high when the family of Jeremiah’s biological father, Wesley Tim, started a moerse bekgeveg with the Ruiters family.
Tim refused to comment.
Abigail’s father, Pastor Ronald Ruiters, says he is devastated by the rape charge.
Stand
“I am destroyed. It’s ridiculous; he’s got no remorse, no empathy. He’s not a father. He cannot stand up for a child,” the pastor says.
“How can he in his right mind to rape an innocent 18-month-old baby boy?”
He also did not agree with his daughter’s murder charge.
The matter has been postponed until 5 July and both accused will remain in custody.
Little Jeremiah will be laid to rest on Saturday.