Cape Town – This Manenberg mom says she was shocked to find her one-year-old daughter covered in bruises and bloody marks after her second day at crèche.
Little Zarrah van Rooyen’s two arms were covered with dark bruises, while her right buttock and upper thigh had more than 30 bloody marks on it.
A doctor’s report confirmed the abrasions on her arms were consistent with blunt force trauma while the ugly crescent-shaped marks on her leg resembled a human nail.
Chinelle van Rooyen, 23, says since the incident last Wednesday, her only child has been “crying non-stop, was anxious and doesn’t want to eat”.
The mom has now blamed teachers at Little Jewels Educare in Kasouga Way, Manenberg, of abusing her child, and says they have refused to tell her what had happened.
Chinelle, who works at a call centre in Cape Town, says Zarrah’s first day on Tuesday went fine.
But when she came home the following night, she got a shock to see her badly bruised baby.
“I took her in that morning and she seemed fine. The afternoon at 4pm, her father Abubaker Philander, 24, went to get her and saw the injuries."
“He said the teachers would not give him answers at the crèche,” she says.
Chinelle, who attended the same daycare as a child, says she went to speak to the principal Felicity Faro the next day, but claims Faro refused to answer her questions.
“She told me go to the police,” Chinelle says.
“I took Zarrah into the dark room next to the main office and my child started screaming so much she could not breathe."
“Something happened in that room and they won’t fess up.”
Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, confirms a charge has been laid at Manenberg Police Station.
“This office can confirm that an assault case has been opened for investigation. According to information, a baby was allegedly assaulted. No one has been arrested.”
Little Jewels Educare refused to take Daily Voice calls on Tuesday.
Spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, Esther Lewis, says the matter is being investigated.
“The department can confirm that the crèche is registered, and that officials will look into the allegations immediately,” said Lewis.