A community in the Karoo town of Sutherland has been left shocked after a man allegedly killed his girlfriend and then let their toddler suckle on her breast.
Mom-of-four Karen Louw, 31, was killed on Friday night, hours after government launched its annual 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
According to police, Karen was beaten to death with a plank after the couple had a fight.
Sutherland SAPS spokesperson Sergio Kock confirms the incident.
He says a 32-year-old suspect has been arrested on a charge of murder.
Kock adds that the berk came to the police station and told cops that Karen had a fight with someone else on Friday night and died in her sleep.
“The police are investigating a murder after a 31-year-old female was allegedly murdered in Sutherland.
“On Saturday, 26 November at about 6am, the boyfriend/partner reported the female deceased to the police.
“He alleged that she came to bed the previous evening, after having an alleged fight in the community and later died in her sleep,” Kock says.
“Police followed up on information and found that the boyfriend and the deceased were apparently involved in an altercation.
“He allegedly assaulted her to death with a plank over her head and body.
“The boyfriend was arrested and should be appearing in court soon. The investigation continues.”
Residents of Jupiter Street, where the suspect lived with Karen, says that on Friday morning mense from the community all went to the civic centre for the launch of the 16 Days of Activism campaign.
“We heard that men should not abuse women, and just hours later, Karen was murdered,” says a resident.
Brenda Olivier, 48, who is the paternal aunt of Karen’s three older children, aged 12, nine and seven, says the family heard about her death on Saturday.
She adds that the suspect was a farm labourer but had been unemployed for some time.
“We had a community fun day in Kraaifontein when we got the call,” Brenda says.
“Karen went out with my brother Marius, and we had arranged for their children to move to Kraaifontein because life is very expensive in Sutherland, they didn’t even have shoes,” Brenda explains.
“Her youngest child, aged one, was the suspect’s. We heard that the baby drank on her breast after she had already died.”
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