A South African mother of a three-year-old girl who was mauled to death by dogs at a tavern could face criminal charges.
Omphile Kuago, 3, was killed when vicious dogs attacked her at a tavern in Mokopane, Limpopo, while her mother was allegedly drinking alcohol.
Police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe said they were interrogating the 36-year-old woman and were not ruling out possibilities that she could be arrested.
“We are questioning the mother and possibility is that she could be charged with child negligence.”
He said when the mother arrived at the tavern around 10pm on Saturday, she allegedly placed the toddler on a bed in a room in the same yard as the tavern and went inside the shebeen.
“The little girl woke up and wandered in the backyard of the tavern and that's when she got attacked by the dogs until the other patrons came to her rescue. The child was taken to the hospital but, sadly, she was certified dead on arrival.”
Omphile's mother, only known as Kholo, was yesterday receiving counselling from social workers who had visited her house following the tragedy.
An elderly woman who was among those comforting the mother said Kholo was not taking the death of the child well. "She appears strong [now] and I think with time she will get better," she said.
Kholo’s mother refused to speak to the media and said the family was frustrated and hurting.