‘I didn’t leave my baby to die’
|Published
Cape Town 06-07-2015:A 7 month baby Thulisile Africa died alone in the bed of her parants in Marcus Garve, Philippi after shw was abandoned by her parents,who went out to to drink and the father he went out to look for the Job.Picture Mlondolozi Mbolo reporter Mpumi Kiva Cape Town 06-07-2015:A 7 month baby Thulisile Africa died alone in the bed of her parants in Marcus Garve, Philippi after shw was abandoned by her parents,who went out to to drink and the father he went out to look for the Job.Picture Mlondolozi Mbolo reporter Mpumi Kiva
Cape Town - A teenage mother whose baby was found dead and alone in a shack, says she did not abandon her child to go out drinking.
The Daily Voice can also confirm that the young mother is only 15 years old and not 16 as had previously been claimed by her partner, the baby’s father.
Speaking out for the first time, in the presence of her mother, the teenager said the infant’s father, 28-year-old Zuko Mandlakhe, lied about what had happened the night of baby Thulisile’s tragic death.
Two weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, neighbours forced their way into the couple’s shack in Never Never informal settlement in Philippi.
There they found the six-month-old girl’s half-naked body on a towel on the bed.
Several neighbours told the Daily Voice they had heard the baby crying throughout the night.
The baby’s father said he was away working at the time. He also confirmed that his teenage girlfriend had been found drinking at a nearby shebeen.
Police are still investigating little Thulisile’s death and say only once it is complete will they decide if any charges are to be brought.
On Friday the teenage mom, whose identity cannot be revealed as she is a minor, painted a different picture of what happened on the day Thulisile died.
She claimed she had been out looking for help after her six-month-old daughter developed a breathing problem.
“I was alone in the house, the baby’s father [Zuko] went out early for a piece job,” she told the Daily Voice.
“The baby was crying and had a breathing problem. I left the baby to call my mother who lives a few blocks away from here.
“I did not leave the child alone [for long],” she said.
Thulisile’s grandmother confirmed the young mom did come to her in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“She came to tell me that she needs help as the child was crying and that she had a breathing problem,” she told the Daily Voice.
“She was not with friends.”
Both the young mother and grandmother claim they immediately returned to the shack, only to find neighbours had forced their way in and Thulisile had passed away.
“I am very sad because my daughter became pregnant at an early age,” said the grandmother.
And now she wants Zuko to explain why he got the young girl pregnant.
“This man was abusive towards my daughter,” she claimed.
“He did not support the child, my daughter used to come to me for help.”
She says Thulisile’s mother dropped out of school in Grade 2 and began hanging out with the wrong crowd in the Samora Machel area.
“It’s very sad to have a child who drops out of school and still ends up living in such poor conditions.
“I want her to go back to school,” says the grandmother.
Daily Voice