Walking into a nearly empty courtroom at the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court, a young Lennoxton mother took the stand on Friday, 28 November 2025. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes fixed forward, she faced the proceedings without the presence of family or supporters in the gallery — accused of disembowelling her three-year-old daughter and assaulting her 10-year-old child.
The matter, which has drawn significant attention since her arrest in September, returned before Magistrate Sibisi as the court heard that the initial step of assessing the accused’s mental health had been completed.
Both the State and the defence confirmed that the woman underwent an assessment by a doctor at Madadeni Regional Hospital’s psychiatric unit. While the report remains confidential, it marks the case’s first substantial movement in weeks.
Defence attorney Zubair Chothia told the court, “The necessary reports from Dr Mazibuko were completed by 20 November 2025, and my client will have to be evaluated further. She will be sent to Fort Napier for a period of 30 days, where she will undergo an extended evaluation.”
Given the seriousness of the charges — which involve the near-fatal attack on her three-year-old daughter and injuries inflicted on her older child — the State Prosecutor agreed that a full psychiatric assessment at Fort Napier was necessary to ensure a fair and properly informed trial.
Magistrate Sibisi postponed the matter to 13 December 2025, when the court will determine the next steps, including arrangements for the 30-day evaluation in Pietermaritzburg. “During this time, the accused will remain in custody,” he ruled.
The case first shocked the Newcastle community on 11 September 2025, when the woman was arrested following an attack on her two children in their Lennoxton home. Authorities confirmed at the time that the three-year-old girl had been critically injured after the mother allegedly attempted to disembowel her. The 10-year-old sister was also assaulted during the incident.
As previously reported by Newcastillian News, the situation could have been far worse if not for the rapid intervention of a construction worker on the property. After seeing the older child flee the house screaming for help, he smashed a window with a hammer to gain entry, disarmed the mother, and prevented further injuries until emergency responders arrived.
Following her arrest, the woman reportedly told authorities that “the devil made her do it,” a statement that police sources said aligned with signs of psychological instability observed at the scene.
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Her identity remains protected under a court order and cannot be published at this stage. When she first appeared in court on 23 September 2025, the magistrate ruled that psychiatric evaluation would be required before the trial could proceed.
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The upcoming 30-day assessment at Fort Napier will play a decisive role in determining the direction of the case. It will provide the court with crucial insight into the woman’s mental state at the time of the alleged offences — information that will inform both legal responsibility and the framework of the trial moving forward.
As proceedings continue, the case underscores the complex intersection of violent crime and mental health, and the court’s responsibility to balance justice, accountability, and clinical evaluation in matters where mental instability is alleged.
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3 Responses
If she was capable of inflicting such serious injuries she is capable of standing trial.
Stupid old man .
Okay, Thank you for your 2 cents Raj.