Limpopo Man Arrested for Killing 14-Month-Old Baby Escapes From Hospital

• The South African Police Service is looking for a murder suspect who escaped from their custody in Limpopo
• The 29-year-old man was under police guard in a hospital in Thohoyandou for allegedly killing a toddler
• They do not know how he escaped, and South Africans were not surprised that the suspect gave the cops the slip

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered criminal activities, police investigations, police shootouts and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

THOHOYANDOU, LIMPOPO — A 29-year-old man who was arrested for allegedly killing a baby escaped from police custody at a hospital in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.

Murder suspect escapes before court appearance

According to SABC News, the suspect reportedly strangled a 14-month-old baby to death and kidnapped his mother in the first week of January. He was arrested and taken to a holding cell at the Thohoyandou Ppolice Station on 13 January 2025. He tried to commit suicide in the holding cell, and the police took him to the Tshilidzini hospital.

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The suspect then escaped from custody in hospital on 14 January, and the police are looking for him. He was elected to appear before the Thohoyandou Magistrates Court, and his case was postponed. The police are investigating.

Children murdered in 2024

• A Potchefstroom community handed a couple over to the police in July for allegedly murdering a four-year-old toddler
• A man from Limpopo was arrested for murdering an 18-month infant and attempting to murder his wife and mother-in-law
• A five-year-old girl from Duduza in Ekurhuleni's body was discovered on New Year's Day after she went missing the previous day

What did netizens say?

South Africans on Facebook were angry at the police.

Sonti Dibetso asked:

"Where is the policeman assigned to guard him in the hospital?"

Marsh Makor said:

"Here in SA, murderers are taken to hospitals for medical care instead of being dealt with."

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North West girl, 16, discovered in shallow grave beaten to death, police launch manhunt for killer

Rudiboy Saayman said:

"This is the South Africa we know."

Chan Ying said:

"The policeman on duty guarding him must serve his sentence."

Lisa LV Madeline asked:

"What is this world coming to?"

Teenager arrested for allegedly killing toddler

In a related article, Briefly News reported that a 17-year-old mother was arrested for the murder of her toddler on 8 January. The toddler was shot dead in Umlazi, Durban.

The police theorised that the toddler might have been playing with the gun, although South Africans were unwilling to accept this version of events. She appeared in court on 9 January.

Source: Briefly News