POLICE have arrested a Cape Town father after he allegedly stabbed his two-year-old son before turning the knife on himself at a play park in Durbanville on Saturday.
The tragic incident took place just after 11am at Ipic Play in Durbanville, where it is understood a father, who had been attending the venue with his child and the mother, apparently stabbed the tot in the neck and later attempted taking his own life.
Titanium Securitas Medical Response Team took to their Facebook page yesterday, to stop skinner spreading on social media after they were the first responders to the critical situation.
They said via their public statement that their team had been approached to treat the toddler while taking a blaaskansie at the Engen Petrol Station in Durbanville.
The medical team wrote: “Today [Saturday], at approximately 11.40am, Titanium Securitas Medical Response team was standing off at Engen in Durbanville to get refreshments.
“While sitting next to their vehicles enjoying their refreshments, another vehicle came speeding in and stopped next to the ambulance.
“The medical crew immediately noticed something was wrong.
“As they approached the vehicle, they noticed a mother was covered in blood holding her lifeless child, who had life-threatening stab wounds to the neck.
“The Titanium Medical team immediately took the child and loaded him in the ambulance in an attempt to stabilise him, after which he was transported to Durbanville Medi Clinic Hospital for further care.”
During the same time, the team became aware of a second scene where the incident had taken place and was alerted that the father was also injured and was assisted by the police to treat him before he was placed into custody.
“Upon arrival at the hospital, Titanium Medical Response received further information regarding the father, who is also in a critical condition still at the scene of the crime.
“The Titanium Medical Teams immediately made their way to the location.
“Upon arrival, they were informed that the father was still in the Play park baby room area with a large knife.
“After a lengthy standoff and the assistance of the South African Police, the father was detained and treated on scene.
“Once stabilised, the father was taken in a critical condition to another medical facility under police guard to be further treated.”
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer, Joseph Swartbooi confirmed the arrest: “The circumstances surrounding this incident are now still under investigation.”
Also via their Facebook page, Ipic Play had alerted customers that their venue was closed.
They later updated their page, by informing the public that they were dealing with an active police scene and could not divulge more and assured customers that their venue was safe for families to attend following the incident.