Police Hunt Suspect After Alleged Rape and Death of 2-Year-Old Boy in Limpopo

• Police in Limpopo have launched a manhunt following the death of a two-year-old boy from Maphosa Village in the Botlokwa area
• The child was taken to hospital after suffering severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea, where he sadly died upon arrival
• A murder case was subsequently opened for investigation after medical findings allegedly raised concerns of sexual assault

LIMPOPO - Police in Limpopo have launched a manhunt following the death of a two-year-old boy from Maphosa Village in the Botlokwa policing area under the Capricorn District.

Police say medical examinations revealed the toddler sustained injuries consistent with a sexual assault.

What happened?

According to police, the child was taken to Ga-Makgato Clinic on 30 May 2026 after suffering severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Due to the seriousness of his condition, he was referred to Botlokwa Hospital for further medical treatment. Sadly, the child died upon arrival at the hospital.

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Hospital staff reported the matter to police on Monday, 01 June 2026, after medical concerns were raised during examinations. A murder case has since been opened for investigation.

At this stage, the suspect is still unknown and investigations are ongoing.

See post from the SAPS here:

Provincial Commissioner weighs in on the case

Limpopo Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe described the incident as deeply disturbing and called for community assistance in tracing those responsible.

“This is a deeply disturbing and heartbreaking incident involving an innocent and vulnerable child. We strongly condemn this senseless act and have mobilised our investigative resources to ensure that the perpetrator is swiftly identified, traced and brought to justice,” said Lt Gen Hadebe.

She urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

Police say a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Sergeant Takalani Mulaudzi on 082 684 9706, Crime Stop on 08600 10111, or use the MySAPSApp. All information will be treated confidentially.

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The investigation is ongoing.

Mother alleges three-year-old was sexually assaulted

In similar news, a three-year-old child was allegedly sexually assaulted by a staff member at a school in a township in Mpumalanga. According to the mother, the child was accompanied to the school by her 10-year-old brother. She said that the child was early for school and that the gate was not yet open. The mother said that her son left when he saw a staff member coming to open the school gate. She said that she immediately took the child to the clinic, where she was referred to the Rob Ferreira Hospital. At the hospital, the doctor conducted a rape kit examination, and it was confirmed that the three-year-old was sexually abused.

9-year-old allegedly abused by older brother

Previously, Briefly News reported that a nine-year-old girl disclosed to the Lwandlamuni village in Limpopo that her older brother allegedly sexually abused her. The community immediately took the victim, along with the suspect, to the N’wa Mitwa satellite police station. The 18-year-old suspect and his mother were arrested and expected to appear in court on 1 September 2025

Source: Briefly News