Six-month-old baby dies while mom allegedly goes on a drinking spree

Limpopo police have condemned the actions of a 23-year-old woman who left her six-month-old baby while she went on a drinking spree. The child died on the weekend. Picture: File image

Limpopo police have condemned the actions of a 23-year-old woman who left her six-month-old baby while she went on a drinking spree. The child died on the weekend. Picture: File image

Published Oct 14, 2024

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A Limpopo mother is expected to appear in court on Monday, facing child neglect charges after her six-month-old baby died.

Police said the woman allegedly went on a drinking spree and left the child in the care of a 12-year-old family member.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said police responded to a complaint at Atok village in Apel, Sekhukhune District on Saturday night at around 11pm where they discovered the lifeless body of the baby.

“Reports indicate that the mother left the child in the care of a 12-year-old [family member] on Thursday morning (October 10) at around 9am.”

Police said the 23-year-old woman has since been arrested for child neglect.

The Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe urged the community to prioritize the well-being of children and report any cases of neglect to the authorities.

“This incident serves as a tragic reminder of the responsibilities of parenthood and the devastating consequences that can arise from negligence,” said Hadebe.

The woman is due to appear in the Sekhukhune Magistrate's Court on Monday.

In July, an American woman was arrested and charged for abandoning her newborn son in freezing temperatures after giving birth in the woods.

Alexandra Eckersley told the court that she believed her son had died immediately after birth.

She is facing charges of assault, reckless conduct, falsifying evidence and endangering the welfare of a child. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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