The 26-year-old mother accused of murdering her nine-month-old and her five-year-old daughters appeared before the Newcastle Magistrate Court on Monday, 13 April 2026, marking her first appearance on two counts of murder.
Seated alone on the court benches, she remained largely silent as proceedings were set to begin, occasionally wiping away tears while awaiting her matter to be called.
When her name was called, the woman rose slowly and instinctively reached for the plaster covering the wound to her throat—an injury alleged to have been self-inflicted in the aftermath of the killings.
As the presiding magistrate formally read the charges and asked whether she understood them, she briefly broke down, steadied herself, and confirmed that she did, allowing proceedings to continue without interruption.
The court then turned to the matter of legal representation. When asked whether she had secured private counsel or required assistance, the accused confirmed that she had been unable to appoint an attorney and would rely on Legal Aid.
“As for the defendant to secure a Legal Aid application, the case will be postponed until Monday, 20 April 2026,” stated the presiding magistrate.
In the same breath, the State indicated that it would oppose any bail application, citing the seriousness of the charges now before the court.
As previously reported by Newcastillian News on Friday, 10 April 2026, the case stems from a tragic incident in KwaMatakuza on Thursday, 9 April 2026.
It is alleged that the woman contacted the children’s father to inform him that she had killed both of their daughters, prompting an urgent response.
The father, who is currently working in Durban, is said to have contacted a community member and asked them to rush to the family home to confirm what had transpired. Upon arrival, the individual discovered both children deceased inside the residence.
Newcastle SAPS spokesperson Lizzy Arumugam later confirmed that responding officers found the two children in a room with deep wounds to their throats. Two knives, believed to be the murder weapons, were also recovered from beneath a bed.
Police subsequently traced and arrested the mother in Madadeni, Section D. At the time of her arrest, she was found with a wound to her throat area, which is alleged to have been self-inflicted.
As Legal Aid steps in and the State prepares its opposition to bail, the next appearance on 20 April 2026 will be pivotal in setting the tone for how proceedings unfold.
At this stage, the matter remains firmly within the legal framework, where evidence, argument, and due process will ultimately determine its course.
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What is wrong with these mother’s how you kill your own children it’s beyond my comprehension you carry that beautiful gift from God give birth to the little angel and then you kill the child that is disgusting those mother’s would have been hung in the old days bring back the death penalty