Family Distraught After 18-Year-Old Poisoned Baby Brother, Details Schizophrenia and Drug Abuse
- Ikemetse Tsheole allegedly killed his baby brother with rat poison before attempting to dumb the body
- The 18-year-old was on medication for schizophrenia and had a history of drug abuse according to the family
- South Africans were disturbed by the news, with some noting his scary appearance in court
Source: Twitter
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online
GAUTENG - The tragic death of a three-year-old, reportedly at the hands of his brother, has left South Africans reeling.
Ikemetse Tsheole (18) stands accused of killing his baby brother Tebogo on 31 January 2025 and attempting to dispose of his body in a rubbish bin. Ikemetse allegedly poisoned the three-year-old with rat poison.
Family gutted by Ikemetse’s actions
Speaking out about the incident, the family of the 18-year-old said they are battling to come to terms with the tragedy but stated that he warned them he was going to do something terrible.
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His aunt, Lebogang Motsaneng, said Ikemetse threatened to do “horrible” things, but the family never believed it would be as bad as it was. She added that they believed his comments were a result of the medication he was taking for schizophrenia.
His older brother, Thato, said they were aware of his mental illness but also knew that he was on drugs. The substance abuse is said to have made him more aggressive as a result.
Ikemetse to undergo psychiatric evaluation
The 18-year-old has since appeared in the Vereeniging Magistrate's Court on 13 February on charges of murder and defeating the ends of justice. He will also undergo assessment at a state psychiatric hospital.
In October last year, he was admitted to the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital for two weeks. It came after he showed signs of social withdrawal, aggressive behaviour and bizarre delusions. Ikemetse stated that he had an ancestral calling linked to Illuminati Satan.
Why is rat poison dangerous for humans?
Rat poison is toxic to humans and the symptoms of ingesting it include internal bleeding, paralysis and organ failure. Mishandling or eating rat poison can lead to death or a coma without timely emergency treatment.
The common symptoms of rodenticide poisoning, include bleeding from gums, nose, or skin, and an altered mental state such as experiencing confusion and involuntary muscle spasms or movement resulting from disrupted brain activity, and may take up to five days to appear.
Dehydration, extreme thirst, and increased urination can also be noted.
Meanwhile, headaches and internal bleeding — the signs of which are lightheadedness, shortness of breath, pain, nausea, and vomiting — are also common symptoms.
Seizures, or sudden, uncontrolled bursts of electrical activity in an area of the brain, can lead to sudden behaviour changes and levels of consciousness.
Other signs of rat poison ingestion are shortness of breath, an upset stomach and severe nausea, which leads to vomiting.
The long-term possible complications result in organ failure, such as brain and liver damage, and kidney failure.
According to extensive research, the common active ingredients in rat poison, rodenticides, contain blood-thinning neurotoxins. However, some formulas are more dangerous to humans than others, while all must be handled carefully.
South Africans disturbed by the crime
The news left many shaken up, as they reflected on how scary the youngster looked.
@inkabiYezwe said:
“How has taking a life become so easy for people to do?”
@ZwaneDudu stated:
“He is scary.”
Tebogo Digas added:
“Something is not right with him.”
Theodecia Nyari Mphuthi said:
“So, the mother lost both kids.”
Sinhlatii Munhu stated:
"This young man need psychological evaluation. No sane person could do such a horrible deed to his/her sibling."
Limpopo man confesses to killing brother
In a related article, a man handed himself over for allegedly murdering his own brother.
Briefly News reported that the man allegedly killed his brother during an argument.
The argument turned physical and one of the brothers fetched a knife and stabbed his brother.
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Source: Briefly News
