Mother fails in bid to burn baby

An infant narrowly escaped death when his mother allegedly tried to burn him inside a shack at Groot Aub.

 

A 17-month-old baby boy was left with wounds on his legs and buttocks when his mother failed to burn him in a shack at Groot Aub earlier this month. The mother of the toddler Waltroudt Bezuidenhoudt, 31, is now in police custody at Rehoboth and is expected to appear in court on July 10. Bezuidenhoudt is also accused of burning the shack down in 2013, but luckily no one was inside at the time of the incident. In her latest attempt, Bezuidenhoudt allegedly wrapped her son (name with held) in a blanket and set it alight, leaving him to burn inside the shack. Lavinia Matheus, who is now looking after the toddler, said the incident happened at night. “We heard the baby crying hysterically. When we opened the door, we saw the fire and the baby crying and kicking,” she said. “The lit blanket was on the floor,” Matheus, who is also a community activist, recalled. Her shack is some 200 metres away from Bezuidenhoudt’s. The activist said the toddler’s father had left the shack earlier before the incident to buy food. When he returned he was told his baby was nearly burnt inside the shack. Matheus said the toddler’s father, employed as a sand sifter at Groot Aub, has been unable to give full care to the baby due to work and other commitments – prompting Matheus to help with the infant’s daily care. She said when she got the boy, he was in a sorry state as he only weighed 4kg but has now gained four more kilograms. Matheus added that toddler’s father left for the North shortly after the incident to attend his mother’s funeral and had since not returned to Groot Aub as he apparently fell ill. Matheus said Bezuidenhoudt’s relatives are in Groot Aub. She said a cousin to Bezuidenhoudt sometimes helps the infant. The unemployed Matheus said she is struggling to take care of the baby, especially the provision of diapers. Yesterday, the Khomas Swapo Party Women’s Council (SPWC) donated N$400, clothes, blankets, soaps and mahangu floor to the baby. The SPWC promised to take care of the baby’s needs until next year May. SPWC coordinator for Khomas Region, Karin Hishidimbwa said they will discuss further on how they will deal with the situation. SPWC Secretary for Information, Mobilisation and Publicity Lineekela Tsoubaloko urged Khomas residents to help the toddler and make sure his upbringing is a decent one. “Let us pray for the mother and the father who is sick in the North,” she said.