A father of two was arrested after a video of him grabbing and flinging his one-year-old son went viral on social media. He is being charged with assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and child abuse.
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The Daily Voice reports that the video of the terrified child was recorded in Bridgeton, Oudtshoorn, on Christmas Day after the 26-year-old father apparently harassed the baby’s mother at her parent’s home.
The 39-second clip shows the father threatening to throw the screaming infant against a metal gate, over a spiked metal fence, and to the ground.
A community member then runs towards him, trying to grab the child, who is in an upside down position.
The father then violently grabs him back and swings him by the arm before threatening to throw the toddler to the ground.
The panic-stricken mother is heard screaming at him to “maak klaar”.
Speaking to the Daily Voice on the basis of anonymity to protect the whereabouts of the mother and her children, a family member said that they had suffered years of abuse at the man’s hands until the mother decided to leave him this week.
“I am not going to lie and say that this was the first time, the reason she moved back to her parents was because he used to constantly hit her in front of their children.”
“When the children cried, he would turn around and hit them in their faces as well,” the relative says.
“We all warned her, but she kept dropping the cases against him, until now.”
“I just think this time was the breaking point for her, that’s why she made the video to have hardcore evidence against him and to once and for all be reminded of the things he is capable of.”
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Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library