A tragic incident unfolded in Hazelmere, Kwa-Zulu Natal, on Friday morning when a 33-year-old man was arrested for the murder of his mother.
The local law enforcement officials were alerted to the disappearance of an elderly female, prompting a swift response from the authorities.
Upon receiving the report, RUSA Officers were immediately dispatched to the scene and were joined by the Verulam SAPS.Â
Paramedics entered a room and discovered the decomposing body of 72-year-old Daw Kerr on a bed in their rented communal housing room. Her son initially informed the first responders that she died due to natural causes.
Several residents alerted police that the deceased was last seen on Tuesday. They inquired about her health, but her son kept giving excuses why she did not want to be disturbed.
They challenged him and requested that he perform a health check on her. A strong odour emitting from the room led them to believe she had died. They then sought assistance from an off-duty SAPS official, who contacted the RUSA Operations Centre and the Verulam SAPS Charge Office.
During an interrogation, the man gave RUSA Officers and Police several different versions of what happened to Kerr.
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According to him, he decided to bathe her in the bathroom on Tuesday. He alleged that she refused to be bathed by him and turned violent, and in a moment of anger, he pushed her. The female fell to the ground and suffered head injuries. He dressed her and placed her on the bed before cleaning the blood from the bathroom.
The man left the property but later returned and discovered her deceased. He did not tell anyone of her demise and stayed in the room with her partially decomposing body for the following three nights. During the day, he would leave and return in the afternoon.
The suspect was placed under arrest by officers on scene.
