A young mom accused of allowing gangsters to rape and torture her two-year-old daughter in a tik den has been found guilty at the Parow Regional Court.
The 27-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect her child’s identity, was found guilty alongside her friend Ursula Paste, 32, after the child was rescued in 2019.
The discovery by neighbour Debbie van Rensburg, 56, and her son Cisco sparked an uproar in Eureka Estate when it was revealed that the toddler’s genitals were burnt, her body bitten and hair cut.
The little girl was dubbed “Baby Nadia” and she was removed from her mother’s care while recovering in hospital.
National Prosecuting Authority’s Eric Ntabazalila says the duo returned to court on Friday where they were found guilty of child abuse, with the child’s mother also found guilty of neglect.
“The accused was acquitted on charges of rape, attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm as there was no direct evidence linking the accused to those charges.”
He says the duo are back in court on 6 July for sentencing.
Debbie says: “I am very happy that the truth of what happened came out in court.
“She (the mother) lied to the court and claimed that I burnt the child but I am the one who stepped in to save that child. Until today I have nightmares and I’m traumatised by what I saw.
“For more than two years, I have been going to court to get justice for the baby.
“In this time I ended up in hospital because I was so sick. The state never offered me counselling and failed me as the person who stood up to protect this child.”
She urges mense to join her in demanding that the duo get the maximum sentence.
“I remember all the car clubs that came out for Baby Nadia and I’m asking them to come and support me one last time for the sentencing.
“I wanted to adopt the baby and raise her as my own but the social workers said it was not a good thing for the child to come back to Eureka Estate because I live near that house.
“I live in fear because many of the gangsters who used to smoke drugs there are kwaad as the pella pos is now closed.
“The two women never told the court who raped that child.”