Sentencing procedures will resume on Monday morning in the case of baby Daniel who was abused and murdered in June 2016.
The toddler’s mother Maryke Cloete, which is not her real name to protect the identity of the child, and her boyfriend Timothy Naidoo will appear in the High Court in Johannesburg.
Cloete was found guilty on two counts of child neglect and Naidoo was convicted of the murder of baby Daniel.
During the trial experts testified on the injuries suffered by the toddler including 60% burns to his body, a broken elbow, femur and injured ribs.
There were also 15 applications of blunt force trauma. Naidoo claims among others that the child fell into a bathtub of hot water and accidentally hit his head in the process.
This happened at the time when the three-year-old was left in the care of Naidoo, not his biological father.
A forensic pathologist testified that the child’s injuries were inflicted while he was still alive.
Daniel was never taken to hospital for the burn injuries, but had previously been to hospital several times.
In December, Judge Collin Matshitse noted that Naidoo had taken the toddler to hospital in February 2016, claiming that he fell from a tree.
Matshitse said Naidoo could not explain why the child had bruises below his eye and injuries on his nipples.
During the trial, one witness testified that Cloete wanted to open an attempted murder case against Naidoo.
Cloete was found guilty of child abuse and negligence in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg in December, while Naidoo was convicted of the child’s murder.
Cloete’s lawyer, Mario Coetzee, told the court on Monday that they secured the services of a social worker and that they completed forms for a probation officer and the Department of Correctional Services.
