Gauteng Mother Receives Suspended Sentence For Poisoning Children, Killing Son

A Gauteng mother has received an eight-year prison sentence, wholly suspended for five years.

This was after being found guilty of murdering her 16-year-old son and attempting to murder her daughter, who was seven years old at the time of the incident.

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The Pretoria High Court, sitting in Benoni, delivered the ruling on Friday, citing “substantial and compelling circumstances” as grounds for deviating from the prescribed life sentence.

The tragic case, stems from a June 2022 incident in which the mother laced her children’s food with poison.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the woman was under severe emotional and financial strain after falling victim to a financial scam and receiving a life-altering medical diagnosis.

Mother Fed Children Poisoned Food After Suffering Emotional Breakdown

NPA Regional Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana confirmed that the mother prepared a poisoned meal for her children before embarking on a drive towards the Free State Province.

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Once they reached Frankfort, both children began showing symptoms of poisoning.

The mother stopped at a local filling station, where she sought help and confessed her actions.

Emergency services were immediately called, and the children were rushed to Frankfort Hospital.

Tragically, the 16-year-old son succumbed to the poisoning, while the daughter survived the attempt.

Following her arrest, the mother was released on R5,000 bail.

During sentencing proceedings, she pleaded for leniency, citing mental health challenges, remorse, and her role as the primary caregiver for her surviving daughter.

Court Acknowledges Remorse, Mental Illness

Acting Judge Vander Westhuizen ruled that although the crime was severe, the court had to weigh the circumstances surrounding the incident.

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The mother was found to have suffered from depression, betrayal by her partner, and extreme emotional distress at the time of the act.

Her genuine remorse and efforts to seek immediate medical help for her children also played a role in the judgment.

During the victim impact statement, the father of the deceased boy shared his pain and ongoing grief but acknowledged that he had forgiven the mother.

Judge Van der Westhuizen emphasized that the suspended sentence came with strict conditions — primarily that the mother is not convicted of murder or any serious crime during the five-year suspension period.

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