JOHANNESBURG — Without the video evidence it would be hard to imagine the horror. An innocent Zimbabwean toddler lies on the ground with her hands, feet and mouth tied with packing tape.
The child squirms on the ground as she tries to free herself.
The owner of Petite Bumper Daycare in Rosettenville, south of Jo’burg, Labeeba Truter, allegedly tied up the 16-month-old toddler, known only as Beauty, because she didn’t want to be disturbed while she watched TV.
Insiders at the creché, who spoke to Daily Sun on condition of anonymity, said Beauty’s unsuspecting mother dropped off her baby girl at the centre three weeks ago.
The child was still new at the creché and started crying the moment her mother walked out the door.
“Labeeba was watching TV when the baby started crying,” an insider said.
“Labeeba told Beauty to keep quiet, but the child continued to cry.”
That is when the woman went to her office.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“She got a roll of brown packing tape and gagged the child, tying her mouth, wrists and legs.”
In a video leaked to Daily Sun, the child can be seen in the bathroom trying to free herself.
“My heart was broken,” the source said.
“That is when I knew this woman has no heart.”
The source said the child was tied up in the bathroom for three hours and cried until her eyes went dry.
“Labeeba then took the child and put her on the bed in her bedroom and threw blankets on top of her,” alleged the source.
“I’m a mother myself and I hated looking at the baby,” she said.
“If you work with kids you must love them more than you love money.”
The source alleged that kids are often tied up and thrown into the bathroom.
When Daily Sun went to the creché , the owner, Labeeba, slammed the door. But after the South African Police Service saturation unit was called, she let in Daily Sun reporters.
It was clear that the bathroom in the creché was the same bathroom in the video. At first Labeeba tried to deny it was her bathroom, but after seeing the video she admitted it was hers.
“I’m aware of the incident, but I’m not the one who did it,” she claimed.
Labeeba claimed she didn’t know it was child abuse.
She also confirmed that she did not report the matter to the police or the child’s parents. The centre currently houses about 12 children in one unfurnished room. The kids sleep on the carpet. There are no mattresses, blankets or toys of any kind.
Ladeeba claimed the centre was registered, but a spokesman for the Department of Social Development, Sello Mokoena confirmed that Petite Bumper is not a registered daycare centre and is not funded by the government.
The identity of the baby’s mother is still unknown at this stage.
The owner of the creché claimed she did not have the contact details for baby Beauty’s parents.
Unconfirmed reports are that the baby was taken back to Zimbabwe by her father.
— Daily Sun
