Three-year-old Poppie van der Merwe’s biological mother and stepfather have been sentenced to life in prison for her murder.
Louisa and Kobus Koekemoer were found guilty of murdering the toddler in October 2016.
They were also found guilty of the abuse of a five-year-old-boy.
Poppie died from bleeding in her brain, and her body was also covered in bruises.
During sentencing Judge Bert Bam said the fact that the children were abused in a place where they were supposed to be safe was aggravating.
He also says he does not believe Poppie’s mother can be rehabilitated. Both parents showed no remorse.
Poppie’s grand parents cried when the sentence was handed down.
The grandmother Carla van der Merwe says: “I am very relieved, the sentence is right. It doesn’t bring Poppie back but we are really relieved.”
