A 21-year-old man appeared at Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday accused of assaulting his two-month-old son, who is being treated at Red Cross Children’s Hospital with possible skull injuries, the state told the court.
According to the Daily Voice, the accused was arrested on Sunday. Prosecutors said the incident occurred in the early hours of 9 November when the child cried and the accused became frustrated.
The state alleged the father took the infant from the mother and struck him on the back and bum. The child was later found with cigarette burns.
The accused faces a charge of assault to cause grievous bodily harm, which the police initially recorded as an attempted murder count.
Inside court the accused appeared emotional as family watched from the gallery. Outside, relatives called for justice and described the baby’s injuries.
‘He was beaten on the bum, he was burned with a cigarette in the face and he has a knob [bump] at the back of his head,’ a family member told Daily Voice reporters.
They added that doctors had raised concerns about possible skull fractures.
The Hout Bay Community Policing Forum commended the swift police response and extended thanks to the ‘Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Ambassadors’ for their vigilance and swift action.
Police confirmed the arrest and said the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit is investigating.
The matter was postponed to 19 November and the accused will apply for legal aid.
If you have information that could help, contact your local SAPS station or the Family Violence unit.
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