Child abused to death
We often hear of abuse in the news papers, but how aware are we about the child abuse in our own community? Stories such as the one of Anthony Erasmus. It is speculated that Anthony passed away due to severe injuries on the 6th of November 2012. “The autopsy showed his body was covered in bruises, he had head injuries and it looks like he may have been thrown against a wall. Both suspects were taken to the police station and was arrested there,” Captain. Pelonomi Makau said.
Cindy-Lee Jansen and her boyfriend Marco Rudolf Barnard have been charged with murder. The child was severely beaten up several times as proven by the autopsy. It is claimed that Anthony fell unconscious several times in front of his mother shortly before his death. She did not take him to the doctor because “We did not take him to the doctor because we wanted to wait until the bruise marks on his body healed”. Rudolf Barnard stated that Anthony was a “Problem child”. In October 2012 his mother, Cindy-Lee Jansen, beat him with a stick because he went to a park and took food out of the kitchen without her permission. When Rudolf came home and found out what happened he also gave Anthony a beating.
Cindy-Lee Jansen and her boyfriend Marco Rudolf Barnard has been denied bail on the 26/02/2013 by Magistrate Moses Maswanganye in Brits. The case will allegedly be moved to the supreme court on 25 April.
We should all be on the lookout for child abuse in our areas. Keep your ears and eyes open. Many times it is not easy to see child abuse because there are different forms of abuse. The different types are Sexual, physical and emotional abuse. If you suspect child abuse please report it as soon as possible. You can report it anonymously. It is better to stop a situation before it can get worse. The effects of child abuse are lifelong. The sooner it can be stopped the better. Be sure to contact Childline on 08000 55555.
We all need to play our part in making this world a better place. Let us stand against child abuse and make Rustenburg a child friendly city. Updates on the Anthony case can be found on this Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/InLovingMemoryOfAnthonyErasmus5
