A 17-year-old mother in KwaZulu-Natal is facing a murder charge following the death of her one-year-old son. The child was found dead on Monday with a gunshot wound to the forehead at their home in J Section, Umlazi, on Pigogo Road.
While police initially received a report suggesting the child accidentally shot himself, investigations are now focusing on the mother as the prime suspect.
The mother initially told police that her son was alone in the house while she was sweeping the yard. She claimed to have heard a gunshot, found the gate closed, and then discovered her son lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to his forehead.
The police report based on her initial statement read: “Reports indicate that the boy was alone in the house while the mother was sweeping the yard. The mother reportedly heard the sound of a gun going off and when she looked around, she noticed that the gate was closed. When she went inside the house she found the boy lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to the forehead. No one was seen leaving the house.”
However, the police spokesperson for KwaZulu-Natal, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Wednesday, indicated that the account given by the mother is being treated with considerable scepticism.
[BREAKING] KZN police confirm the arrest of a 17-year-old mother after she allegedly shot her 1-year-old child.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/TEIR3BsNRn
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 8, 2025
The claim that a one-year-old child could independently handle and fire a gun, resulting in a fatal shot to the forehead, is considered highly improbable. The investigation is now actively exploring alternative scenarios and focusing on potential inconsistencies within the mother’s statement.
The mother is expected to appear in court on Thursday. Colonel Netshiunda stated: “Currently, we are looking at the case itself and, together with other departments who must be involved in cases of this nature, we are going to engage the family accordingly.”
While the official cause of death awaits the outcome of the ongoing investigation and post-mortem examination, the police are clearly treating this as a murder case, with the mother’s account of events under intense scrutiny.
