A Jeffreys Bay father is battling to come to terms with a horrific New Year’s Day attack on his two-year-old daughter, who was left with multiple stab wounds while under the care of a childminder. The deeply traumatised parent says the images of what he found that night continue to haunt him, leaving him unable to sleep as his family searches for answers and justice.
Speaking outside the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday, the grief-stricken father recounted the moment he entered the house where his child had been left. What he saw, he said, is something no parent should ever have to witness. His toddler lay on the floor in a pool of blood, her small body riddled with stab wounds.
Doctors later confirmed that the child had suffered 15 stab wounds to her head, face, back, chest and hands. She was initially rushed to Humansdorp Hospital, where she was stabilised and bandaged, before being transferred to Livingstone Hospital for further treatment. Although she is now recovering, the father said she remains in pain and the emotional scars on the family run deep.
The suspect, a 59-year-old woman whose identity cannot be revealed due to a court order, was arrested at her home in Tokyo Sexwale township at around 4am on New Year’s Day. She has since appeared in court facing charges of child neglect and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The case has been postponed to January 12 for a formal bail application.
According to the father, New Year’s Eve had begun like any other. The child’s mother had asked for time to go out and celebrate, leaving the toddler with a childminder who had previously assured the family that she had no problem caring for the little girl. Trusting that their child would be safe, the parents agreed. It was the first time they had ever left their daughter in someone else’s care.
The father, who does not drink or smoke, stayed home that night. In the early hours of the morning, he was alerted by the childminder’s daughter that something was wrong. A security guard then told him the situation was “bad”. Moments later, he was confronted with the devastating scene and his partner’s screams as police and community members gathered outside the house.
The family says they were too shocked to even ask what had happened. They simply cried, helpless and overwhelmed, until paramedics arrived. “How can someone do something like this to a child who can’t answer for herself?” the father asked. “I keep asking God why my child deserved this. I can’t forgive myself.”
Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said officers responded to a complaint that a child had been injured. The circumstances surrounding the attack are still under investigation, and it is alleged that the childminder may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time.
The incident has shaken the Jeffreys Bay community, with residents gathering outside court in solidarity with the family. Local councillors and child protection organisations have called for justice and greater vigilance to protect vulnerable children.
As the toddler continues her recovery, her family faces an uncertain future — one marked by trauma, fear and the painful question of how they will one day explain her scars.
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