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CAPE TIMES
Fourteen-month-old Ichume Somkhence's coffin is lowered into the grave. The toddler died after allegedly drinkign poison. Photo: Jason Boud
A Bishop Lavis mother who tried, but failed to kill herself and ended up killing her one-year-old daughter, may face a murder charge.
Tuesday’s incident brings to seven the number of cases involving children who have been abandoned or murdered, allegedly by their mothers, during this month alone.
The 32-year-old mother left suicide notes saying she was struggling financially because her daughter’s father was not supporting their only child and no one was helping her.
Police suspect she had tried to take both their lives by overdosing on pills and feeding her child other medication.
While the police continued investigating the Bishop Lavis incident on Wednesday, a 14-month-old girl allegedly poisoned by her mother in Philippi last week was buried. The girl’s eight-year-old sister, who had also been poisoned, was recovering in hospital, while their mother, 29, was in prison charged with murder and attempted murder.
Police spokeswoman Marie Louw said the incident in Bishop Lavis was on the day the one-year-old girl’s mother was supposed to have taken her to enrol in a creche.
The girl’s grandmother had left her daughter and the child at home, expecting them to go to the creche. But when she returned in the afternoon, she found her grandchild dead on the floor near her unconscious daughter.
It was not clear how long they had been there.
Louw said the police found boxes of tablets belonging to the grandmother, along with a baby bottle.
“We’ve sent the bottle for testing to see if tablets were put in the bottle. We’re also looking into whether the mother gave her daughter tablets orally,” she said.
Louw said officers found suicide notes written by the mother saying her daughter’s father was not supporting their child and she was struggling financially.
Louw said it appeared the mother had gathered all the tablets she could find in the house and had taken them.
She said according to family members it was not the first time the woman had tried to commit suicide.
After visiting her daughter in Tygerberg Hospital on Wednesday, the child’s grandmother said she was in shock.
“I’m sick in my heart. My daughter is okay but my grandchild is gone. My daughter isn’t talking to me. That was her only child,” she said in a telephone interview.
The grandmother confirmed the tablets used belonged to her. She said she was too traumatised to say anything further.
caryn.dolley@inl.co.za - Cape Times
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Durbanite.., wrote
Isn't the pill free at clinics??? Why do these women allow themselves to fall pregnant if they have no means of financial support!! Where is the logic here, or are they just so hell bent on getting their numbers up???? Mind you the prez is not exactly a shining example for his people, only difference is the tax payers support all his offspring!!
LizzyE, wrote
sue k, well done to you! Annonymous, I don't think you get it, these mothers cry poverty etc. how is it not the Government's fault? Where are the jobs that they promised these very people, just to get their votes? Yes, it's hard, I can imagine, but no reason to kill your kids! I put the blame on government squarly, cause they stuff everything up! No, they don't tell these people to open their legs, but they are responsible for letting rapists roam the streets, and they're responsible for not educating their own on consequences, I could go on and on, but you should get the picture now. Or not?
sue k, wrote
I was a single unemployed mom when I divorced my ex. I took my kids, with no child support and did the best I can. I struggled with BEE and AA, but beat the odds.I did not kill my kids, and I got re married and am now living in NZ. My brother with no wife and no kids killed himself 13 years ago as he was unemployed.He gave up hope where we all have it.I am the strong one.My ex is probably dead today for all I know, but I am the winner for having faith.Its called being strong
sue k, wrote
Poverty,unemployment,crime,imorality?Who do you blame.The individuals are part, the state the rest.
Anonymous, wrote
LizzyE Voting for the ANCDA has nothing to do with this coz the same thing has just happened in India is ANC to be blamed in India as well. They was a similar case in Cape town as well are we suppose to blame the DA for that?? I think people should stop blaming the government for everything that's wrong. Poverty has always been there even before ANC was in leadership in fact it was even worse coz they where no grants. ANC does not force women to open their legs. Women should learn to be responsible coz they are public clinics and it does not cost a cent to get those contraceptive pills and luckily in SA abortion in legal to avoid such issues
LizzyE, wrote
@Alan, *hugs bru*, not fighting with you today!
bangani, wrote
Mothers are been driven to deperation and hence to commit this sad act. Society's chickens are coming home to roost. The neglect of social upliftment and development in post apartheid SA and the great chasm between haves and have nots have exascerbated the moral and morale of our communities. The legalisation of killing unborn babies whole abortion murders bring s the value for life even further down. This mom tried to kill herself as well and the many other mom's may also be suicidal as well. Yes, the law must run it's coarse but this is the end result of harsh reality of life especially when you are at the bottom of the heap. So sad to see harsh criticsm without compassion. Go do the same to those abortion clinics then come here and talk all the self righteous pompous haves.
Anonymous, wrote
@ LizzyE... you took the words straight out my mouth! Ppl are always complaining that to this day we are still living in so much poverty. Ppl were promised housing and jobs?????? since 1994! But wait... Presidents are building R20 million walls around their homes, buying holiday homes, jets, flying around the world to apparently hold meetings with other Presidents? why whats ever come of those meetings? So yes ppl need to stop B....ing and chane the way you think
osama, wrote
When women are going to take responsibility for their action weather killing a child or a man they want to blame somebody else making a child is fun so as raising one it should be
ameenah, wrote
why is it only the fathers who must work and support the childrens, mothers make the babies too, they 50% responsible!
Alan, wrote
Floras, heard the word ABSTINENCE? The really poor should be focusing on getting the free education available by the Government - there are many many courses available, instead of procreatin when they don't have food to feed themselves! My sympathy, all of it, goes to the children - I mean the youngest children, not the children giving birth to children!!!! LIZZYE, WOT YOU GONNA SAY TO ME lol?????
Anonymous, wrote
Why bring the government in? Did the government ask the couple to make a child? When are we ever going to stop making excuses and face reality? ANC, DA, FF - my child is mine and i have a responsibility to raise them with or without help. Suicide is never an answer.
kabelo, wrote
father can't support the kids because there's no more jobs,majority are not benefiting from the wealth of this country only mandela's nad zuma's inner are getting the half of cake here comes the answer triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii nationilisations of mines will hire more people even women will be allowed to work at the mines.
LizzyE, wrote
floras, I'll tell you why it's continuing,......these very people are the ones voting for the ANC! Until they stop doing that, nothing will come right, so they must not cry poverty! I have no simpathy! My heart goes out to the little one though, the kids are the innocent ones! Keep voting like you are now, but don't blame government when things go wrong, YOU HAVE A CHOICE YOU KNOW
floras, wrote
The government is letting the poor down. While the politicians spend,loot and party,the poor cannot even afford a loaf of bread. Why is this allowed to continue??
young mother, wrote
what is the world coming to? The fathers should take care of their responsibility and the mothers should seek counselling if their can't deal with life and the stresses of being a single mom. I have a baby and his father is a full time student, I am the only one working and it is very stressful too. But I will NEVER kill my child over it. We have received these babies as gifts from God, and the best gift we can give our children is to look after ourselves and then look after them. God be with all the children in this world.
henderson, wrote
Pls do not misslead us,the two cases are not the same. The Bishoplavis incident and the Brownsfarm one are not the same.
Noms, wrote
I fail to understand how can the goverment not see that the cause of these young women killing their kids is the fathers not supporting them. Why don't they tighten the law when it comes to child maintanance?
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