Rustenburg - A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly beating his four-month-old baby boy to death in South Africa's North West province, police said on Thursday.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Pelonomi Makau said the man allegedly beat the child on Wednesday in Dinokana near Zeerust.
She said paramedics summoned the police to Willowpark farm near Lehurutshe on allegations that a father assaulted his baby.
"Upon arrival, they found a bruised body of a baby. On questioning the mother, she informed the police that she and her boyfriend had a fight at the boyfriend’s place in the evening on Saturday, [November 4] in Dinokana. She informed the police that she managed to run away and left the baby behind to seek help from the neighbours. On her return the same evening, she noticed that the baby was assaulted and had bruises on the face."
The father allegedly beat the baby again on Wednesday morning, and when he noticed that the baby was dead, he instructed the mother to take him back to her place in Willowpark farm.
The baby was declared dead at the farm. The man was arrested and was due to appear in the Lehurutshe Magistrate's Court on Friday, facing a charge of murder.