Pietermaritzburg - A young mother too poor to care for her seven-month-old baby was found guilty by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday of killing the child.
Nompumelelo Nyati, 18, told the court she stabbed her daughter after she did not get a R300 monthly child support grant from March to May this year.
She would remain in custody until June 19 pending reports from social and correctional services.
On May 2, Nyati said she took her daughter to the child's father's home so his family could care for her. They told her they could not care for another child.
She said she had no one to support her and the baby. She returned to her grandmother's house, but the two were not on speaking terms because she could not contribute to the household.
“I was sleeping in her kitchen and due to financial hardship ate at my friend's place. On arrival back home from her father's place, I put my child on the ground and stabbed her once in the chest,” Nyati said.
“I told people that I stabbed her... I was crying. I took her home and she was still breathing. I was told to take her to hospital and on the way to hospital I met police who went with me to Dumbe Hospital.”
The baby died on the way there.
Nyati said she was arrested and taken to the police station.
“I know and understand the charge against me and that I'm facing a minimum sentence of life imprisonment for murder,” she said.
Sapa