A five-year-old boy tragically died after he was stabbed multiple times by his nanny’s brother.
Little Xavier Mitchell was at the caregiver’s Sky Road house, just a few doors from his Bishop Lavis home on Wednesday morning when the incident occurred.
The suspect, who is in his 40s, reportedly had a psychotic episode.
Xavier was stabbed three times with a knife in the back.
It is alleged his caregiver had gone to the toilet and left Xavier with the suspect, and when she returned, the child had been stabbed.
A neighbour who transported Xavier to hospital, Henry Abrahams, says: “When I came home, I was asked by a neighbour to take the boy to the hospital.
“The nanny had him in her hands. I asked her to bring a blanket and cover him. At the time he was not talking.
“I dropped them and about 30 minutes later I was informed that the boy passed away.”
According to Henry, the suspect has had psychotic episodes before where he would be violent with his own father.
The victim’s parents Ricardo and Sylvia Mitchell were at work and had left their son in the care of their neighbour.
A devastated Ricardo told the Daily Voice: “Someone called me, crying, telling that my son was full of blood and that he was at the day hospital.
“I went straight to the hospital and he was in trauma and the doctor told me that there was nothing that they could do [for him].
“I called my wife but I didn’t tell her what happened to Xavier.”
Sylvia explained she had to take a number of taxis to get to Bishop Lavis.
The hartseer mom says: “When I got to the hospitalm he was just lying there. I thought he was going to wake up.
“In my mind I thought he was sick because they said blood was coming out, I didn’t think he was stabbed. I couldn’t believe it when I was told that he was dead.”
After the stabbing, the suspect ran away but the community apprehended him and then called the police.
The nanny had been looking after Xavier and his little brother for eight months.
Mom Sylvia adds: “I trust her with my children, she is very good with them. And my children love her.
“We have not yet spoken to her about the incident. We know that she is also traumatised, because she was with Xavier for five days a week.”
She said Xavier was a happy little boy.
“He would say ‘Gaan Man’, he loved eating dry bread and drinking water. He was always running and kicking things, so I called him Messi.”
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said Bishop Lavis police are investigating a murder case.
He said cops arrived at the scene and then went to the local hospital.
Van Wyk reports: “At the hospital they were shown the body with three stab wounds to the back. He was declared deceased at the hospital due to injuries sustained.
“A male in his forties, who is believed to mentally challenged was arrested by the police and taken to Bishop Lavis SAPS for detention. The investigation continues.”