Free State dad charged with murder after son found dead under bed

A FREE State man has been charged with the murder of his six-year-old son and hiding his body under a bed. 

The gruesome discovery was made by a community member after the child had been reported missing on January 29, 2026. 

Provincial police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, said that on the day the child went missing, the father allegedly assaulted the child with a wooden stick in the presence of the grandmother.

Mophiring reported: "She reportedly questioned him about his actions, and he responded that he could do as he pleased with his child. This was the last time the grandmother saw the boy."

The broader community searched for the missing boy, and on 1 February, a community member entered the suspect’s residence and noticed unusual darkness and disorder in one of the bedrooms.

Police said: "Clothes were scattered around the room, which raised suspicion. Upon shining a cellphone light under the bed, the community member made the shocking discovery of the child’s body.

"It was further noted that the boy had sustained bruises to his body."

Police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were immediately summoned to the scene, where the child was declared dead.

Mophiring said the incident sent shockwaves through the community. 

The father has been charged with murder and is expected to appear in the Fouriesburg Magistrate’s Court.