Community vows to kill man who allegedly raped and murdered 18-month-old boy

“He loved this child so much‚ he used to carry the child and kiss him.”

This is how Gail Ruiters describes the man accused of killing and raping her 18-month-old grandson‚ Jeremiah Ruiters.

Ameer Peters‚ 26‚ appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate's court on Wednesday along with his girlfriend‚ and Jeremiah's mother‚ Abigail Ruiters.

Abigail cried in the dock‚ just as she did during previous court appearances‚ apparently devastated by the death of her child‚ whom she is accused of having neglected under the Children's Act.

The toddler was reportedly stabbed and severely beaten. TimesLIVE previously reported that Peters was being held at Pollsmoor prison's hospital section after he attempted to commit suicide.

Peters and Ruiters are expecting their first child together in September and Gail hopes that she will be out of prison by the time the baby comes.

The couple's court case has been postponed to August 16 for a formal bail hearing.

The 51-year-old Gail‚ a cleaner at a bottle store in Kensington‚ spoke softly about Peters outside court‚ saying he was “loving” and “kind” to Abigail's two daughters and Jeremiah.

“We trusted that man‚ everyone in our street liked him‚” she said.

But neighbours and community members‚ who came to court to support the family‚ had harsher words for Peters.

“He's dead if he comes back (to the neighbourhood). The people will kill him! I'm one of them! Us women will kill him with our hands‚” said an angry neighbour‚ who did not want to be named.

Ruiters's father‚ pastor Ronald Ruiters‚ said he has been in hospital due to hypertension - a direct result of the trauma and stress he has endured since his grandson's death on June 12.

He said the ordeal was “very painful” before he started shaking and crying outside court.

- TimesLIVE