Cape Town – The Parow Regional Court has sentenced a mother to five years’ imprisonment, put her daughter up for adoption, banned her from working with children and declared her unfit to own a firearm.
This follows her conviction on charges of child neglect and child abuse, Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said in a statement on Wednesday.
“She was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for child neglect and five years imprisonment for child abuse. The court ordered that both sentences run concurrently effectively sentencing her to five years imprisonment,’’ he said.
’’The mother who cannot be named to protect her child, was convicted with her long-time friend Ursula Pace. Pace was convicted on a charge of child neglect and sentenced to five years imprisonment. The court also declared her unfit to work with children.’’
The incidents of neglect and abuse took place in 2019. The two women were sentenced yesterday.
The prosecutor, Colleen de Louw, told the court that the child, who was two years old at the time, was rescued on February 20, 2019 by a resident, Deborah Van Rensburg. The child had bite marks on her body as well as bruises, abrasions and burn marks.
Police were informed and she was taken for medical attention. The mother and Pace were arrested. After a protracted trial, they were convicted on 28 May 2021.
De Louw says the two women asked the court to impose a R5 000 fine each as their sentence, but she objected to the request and asked the court to sentence them to a maximum of 10 years’ imprisonment.
They were initially charged with attempted murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and rape, but they were acquitted on those charges as there was no direct evidence linking them to those charges.
De Louw accepted the sentence and added: “At this stage the child is in a care facility and is doing well.
’’She has completely healed from the physical injuries but still has some things she must work through. The victim will be part of an adoption process soon.”
IOL