The four-year-long murder trial of a Durban child – identified only as Baby X or Baby Jamie - will reach its conclusion on Thursday when her mother is set to be sentenced.
The 31-year-old was found guilty in September of the 2014 murder of the three-year-old. Details of the child’s death left Durbanites reeling.
In November 2014 the 31-year-old woman and her mother - Baby Jamie's granny - were arrested for the gruesome assault and torture of the little girl in their Chatsworth home. The repeated assaults ultimately led to her death.
During the trial‚ the court heard of the grisly circumstances that had led to the child’s death.
In addition to the murder charge‚ the pair faced child abuse‚ assault and sexual assault charges relating to the girl's two older siblings‚ identified as A and D. They are nine and 12‚ respectively.
Neither Baby Jamie’s mother nor her grandmother can be named to protect the identity of other relatives.
The 51-year old grandmother died in April while in detention at Durban’s Westville Prison‚ leading to the charges against her being dropped.
Sentencing is expected to take place in the Durban High Court on Thursday morning.
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