DURBAN - The Phoenix mother accused of attempted murder for allegedly assaulting her four-year-old child for wetting herself sat at the corner of a bench outside a courtroom, with her head bowed down, as members of the public passed her and sniggered.
The child’s mum (middle) starts to cry as members of the public pass her and snigger.
We are waiting outside court. @SundayTribuneSA #ChildAbuse pic.twitter.com/BT5UtQl9eR
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) April 11, 2018
The little girl is still recovering from trauma to the head among other severe injuries.
A video of the brutal assault, which took place in February, surfaced on social media last month, causing furore online.
The video, recorded by the mother’s boyfriend, showed the woman allegedly smacking, punching and kicking the four-year-old girl who falls to the ground, screaming.
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In the video, her mother tells her: “You are making me go off my head! I am having a nervous breakdown in my life!”
The matter against the 25-year-old mother and her 20-year-old boyfriend, who both cannot be named in order to protect the child’s identity, has been adjourned to April 25 by Magistrate Chris Annamalai.
The incident where a woman allegedly assaults a child. Picture: Screengrab
State prosecutor Ishwar Sewnarain requested the two not be allowed to see the child. A ruling was not made in court.
A Children’s Court enquiry is also underway into the custody of the child.
The pair were arrested last month on attempted murder charges and were granted R3000 bail last month.
The mother silently wept in the dock while her boyfriend stood stone-faced.
Over 50 people had gathered outside the Verulam Magistrate’s Court with posters calling for justice for the child.
Among those protesting, was Durban comedian Natashia Portrag, known as ‘Bash with Tash’.
The accused should not be given bail, said @bashwithtash voicing what many members of the public, who are here, have stated @SundayTribuneSA pic.twitter.com/kbZXpceJex
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) April 11, 2018
Inside court, the mother wore a white t-shirt with jeans and sneakers, while the boyfriend wore a black suit. The boyfriend arrived early before demonstrators gathered.
The male accused leaves Verulam Magistrate’s Court @SundayTribuneSA #PhoenixAssault #childabuse pic.twitter.com/4E6vnB7Qca
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) April 11, 2018
The horrific lashing was apparently punishment for the child urinating on the floor.
"Why can't you listen, why can't you go to the toilet. The toilet is there, you were doing well all these days, you are doing extremely, extremely, extremely well, I was so proud,” screams the mother, before shoving her daughter to the ground.
The mother yells: “I want you out. I don't want you inside this house. F*** off outside!”
The mother’s lover, whose feet and chest are seen in the video as he records the incident while lying on bed, smoking, adds: “Tell your mother I peed on the floor.”
After the horrific assault video, and pictures of the injured child, spread rapidly online, the pair were arrested when Alvin Brijlal, founder of the Victims Outreach Information Centre (Voice), reported the abuse to police.
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