Nanny charged after three-month-old baby throttled and assaulted

A 23-year-old KwaZulu-Natal woman who allegedly assaulted and throttled a three-month-old baby girl was arrested on Thursday.

Her arrest came after the child's mother returned home to find the baby - who had been under the supervision of the nanny - with a high temperature and crying uncontrollably, according to police.

"She made inquiries and discovered that the babysitter had allegedly assaulted and strangled the baby. She reported the incident to Umlazi police and a case of attempted murder was opened," said police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala.

The child was taken to hospital and the young woman was arrested.

Following the ordeal, parents have been urged to hire people who are skilled and have experience in child-minding.

"They should not hire anybody who just wants a job and a thorough background check must be done to prevent similar incidents and other criminal acts," said Gwala.