By Tladi Moloi
Two children have died while three others are fighting for their life in hospital after eating poisoned food allegedly given to them by the ex-husband of the mother of three of the children.
The five children — consisting of two sets of siblings — began to suffer from unbearable stomach pains after eating a meal on Thursday in Platberg, Manyatseng Township in the Free State.
The police say that the children were fed a meal of rice, meat and vegetables offered up in a plastic container.
Reabetswe Ntahane and Karabo Modise, five and nine-years-old respectively, died soon after, while the three remaining children are being treated at a hospital in Bloemfontein.
Moleboheng Ntahane is the aunt of three of the victims. She told Scrolla.Africa that the remaining two children belonged to her sister’s friend.
She said her sister and her friend lost a child each.
“My sister is still at the hospital with her 16 and seven-year-old children, while her friend is also nursing her three-year-old,” she said.
She said the family is still in disbelief after what happened.
“I am not really sure what could have killed the kids because I was called at night and when I got there my sister had already left with the other children to the hospital. When I got there she was dead already.”
Warrant officer Mmako Mophiring, the Saps Corporate Communication and Liaison Service in Thabo Mofutsanyana District, confirmed that two children have died and the police are investigating an inquest case docket.
The police have not yet made any arrests.
“The girls complained of stomach pains after explaining that they ate food coming from a nearby house at Platberg, Manyatseng township, given to them inside a container by their mother’s ex-husband.”
Mophiring said that later that night, their parents summoned an ambulance and they were admitted to a local hospital where two of them passed away.
Another child was rushed to Pelenomi Hospial in Bloemfontein while the other two remain under medical care. Their conditions remain unknown.
“The food has […] been taken for further analysis to determine whether there was any possible food poisoning,” Mophiring said.
Pictured above: Ladybrand in the Free State
Image Source: Twitter
