“She was healing well but after her mother left her in hospital and went home she started deteriorating and passed away on January 20.”
There has been an outpouring of grief and outrage over the incident on Facebook.
One woman said: “RIP baby girl. I can't imagine the pain and trauma you have suffered. There are so many other families that cannot have children and will do anything to have a child. Then we get people like this. My blood is boiling now.”
“Why do people have children if they cannot look after them and give them the love and care they need? This is so sad,” said another.
Umesh Singh, head of the eThekwini outer north cluster community policing forum, which includes Phoenix, Verulam, Tongaat and Durban North, told TimesLIVE: “Any incident of this nature is sad, especially when it’s a young, innocent life.
“Sometimes when things happen inside a home people are unaware. But if the community hears or sees something, we have structures where these incidents can be reported for us to take the necessary steps.
“Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. People need to start taking these matters seriously. We need our communities to be on the ball.
“In incidents like this the community, police and social welfare authorities must work together. We can’t sit back, especially when children are being ill-treated and abused.”
TimesLIVE
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Eight-year-old girl dies from burns suffered while 'working' in family tuck shop
Image: 123RF/Artit Oubkaew
The death of an eight-year-old Durban child who suffered third degree burns after she was allegedly locked in her family’s tuck shop has shocked and outraged the community of Phoenix.
The child’s devastated aunt took to Facebook after her death last week, calling for justice .
She was allegedly left alone in the tuck shop, run by her mother and stepfather, about four months ago.
According to media reports, the child was supposed to be serving customers when she allegedly set herself alight. She was rescued by a passer-by and spent months in hospital.
The matter was being investigated by Phoenix Child Welfare.
Her aunt said: “This child was living with her mother and stepfather and was being mistreated which led to her getting third degree burns and being in hospital for four months.
He didn't see it coming, says family of boy killed in 'illegal Daveyton drag race'
“She was healing well but after her mother left her in hospital and went home she started deteriorating and passed away on January 20.”
There has been an outpouring of grief and outrage over the incident on Facebook.
One woman said: “RIP baby girl. I can't imagine the pain and trauma you have suffered. There are so many other families that cannot have children and will do anything to have a child. Then we get people like this. My blood is boiling now.”
“Why do people have children if they cannot look after them and give them the love and care they need? This is so sad,” said another.
Umesh Singh, head of the eThekwini outer north cluster community policing forum, which includes Phoenix, Verulam, Tongaat and Durban North, told TimesLIVE: “Any incident of this nature is sad, especially when it’s a young, innocent life.
“Sometimes when things happen inside a home people are unaware. But if the community hears or sees something, we have structures where these incidents can be reported for us to take the necessary steps.
“Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. People need to start taking these matters seriously. We need our communities to be on the ball.
“In incidents like this the community, police and social welfare authorities must work together. We can’t sit back, especially when children are being ill-treated and abused.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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