A four-month-old baby was killed during an argument between her parents in the Machisba area of Edendale, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal police said on Sunday.

It is believed that the mother was holding the baby when her husband assaulted her, said police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram.

"Investigations at the scene had established that the parents of the child had a domestic dispute and the father then assaulted the mother who was carrying the child at the time.

"It would appear that during the assault, the child sustained injuries to the face and died as a result," said Budhram.

The man, 30, was arrested and would appear in the Pietermaritzburg magistrate's court shortly. - Sapa