Toddler murder case back in court

The trial of a woman and her former-boyfriend accused of murdering a three-year-old boy continues in the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday.

Mary Vermaak and Timothy Naidoo are facing charges of murder, abuse and neglect in connection with the death of Baby Daniel in June 2016.

Vermaak concluded her re-examination on Tuesday when she attempted to absolve herself from any role in the murder of the little boy.

She instead put the blame on Naidoo who she claims poured hot water over the boy.

The names of the accused have been changed as per the court order.

Mary Vermaak told the court on Tuesday that when baby Daniel left the backhouse where they were all sleeping to relieve himself outside in the early hours of 25 June 2016, her then boyfriend Timothy Naidoo followed him and killed the boy.

She says the last time she saw Daniel was when he opened the door to go outside after-which she fell fast asleep.

Vermaak maintains Daniel was fine when she came back from work earlier that day and that she did not notice that her little boy had been assaulted.

She believes something happened to him while she was away at work and added that had she known that something was wrong with her child she would have helped him.

The state is trying to prove that both Vermaak and Naidoo are involved in the boy’s murder.