North West Premier Thandi Modise has expressed shock at the suspected poisoning and suicide incident in which four children and their mother were left dead in Hartbeespoortdam area over the weekend.
Premier Modise has called on parents who are overburdened and experiencing pressure in their lives to approach authorities for professional help instead of opting to take the lives of innocent children and or ending their own lives.
“We wish to convey our condolences to the husband and family and call on churches, Non-government organisations and community organisations to assist us identify where intervention is required to prevent such tragic incidents” stressed the Premier.
The Office of the Premier has dispatched officials to investigate conditions and the extend of the help that the family might need.
According to police four children, including a three-month-old baby, were found dead inside a shack at Shaumburg informal settlement in Skeerpoort on Sunday morning.
The children’s father reportedly arrived home at around 22h00 on Saturday night after watching a soccer game at another place and found the children, aged 10, seven and two asleep on the floor in the same room where their mother was sleeping with the three-month-old baby on the bed. He allegedly went to his room to sleep.
However, in the early hours of Sunday the father allegedly heard some noise and movement but dismissed the concern after he allegedly thought his wife was attending to the baby. He allegedly woke up at 9h00 and found that the children were still asleep, which was strange to him because usually at that time, they were awake.
The father purportedly went to check on them in the bedroom, only to find them sleeping and facing the same direction and one of them with a foam substance on the mouth. Upon checking closely, he realised that the children were dead. Though the whereabouts of the mother could not be established at the stage, the baby was also found dead on the bed.
The matter was reported to the police and a case of murder was registered for further investigation. The man’s wife who is reportedly from Mozambique was later found late that afternoon after the matter was reported to the police and a case of murder was registered for further investigation. She was found dead hanging from the tree with a red cloth around her neck approximately a kilometre from Shaumburg.
Though the motive for the incident is still unknown police at this stage police suspect that the mother could have poisoned the children before committing suicide. They reportedly do not suspect foul play on the part of the mother’s suicide at this stage.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 388 3705
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax:018 388 3157
E-mail : LKgwele@gmail.com
