A mother from Worcester appeared in court for two counts of child abuse on Thursday after allegedly violently ‘disciplining’ two of her teenage children for creating Facebook pages she deemed as “lust-inducing” by chaining one up for three days and beating up the other. The woman, who is 54 years old, cares for her biological daughter as well as 11 foster children.
The child she allegedly chained up is her 16-year-old foster child. The mother meted out the punishment when she discovered “fake” Facebook pages featuring pictures of the child and her biological daughter.
“It was also discovered that the 15-year-old biological child of the suspect has been beaten on a daily basis,” the Worcester family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit said in a statement.
The mother went on a Facebook rant and claimed that her daughters’ accounts attracted nearly 5 000 boys and men from across the world.
Speaking to TimesLIVE, Western Cape Social Development MEC Albert Fritz said that his department had already sent three social workers and a supervisor to assist the children. “On Saturday 26 January 2019, SAPS informed the after-hours protocol social worker that there were 12 children in the Scherpenheuwel area who needed assistance,” Fritz said.
All of the woman’s children, of ages between two and 11 years old, were removed from the woman’s residence and taken to a place of safety. “Allegations of maltreatment and abuse were made,” said Fritz.
“There was a school secretary, a father, a cousin, in their friends list, all of whom said nothing. When I went to discuss it with family, I got judgement for allowing it, but they were the friends who said nothing!” the mother vented on Facebook after the children were taken away. “I got judgement for not being a better friend of the child, when all I’ve given was love and friendship, and now some discipline.”
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