Mother Chokes Toddler On Video, Sends Recording To Child's Father As Threat

A 21-year-old mother choked and beat her toddler son and recorded the abuse to send it to the father, local media reported. The incident took place in South Africa's city of Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal province.

Police said the woman was arrested by the Newcastle family violence, child protection and sexual offenses unit (FCS) in the second week of January. The incident came to light after she sent two videos to the child's father showing the abuse on the two-year-old. According to reports, the mother wanted to threaten her husband not to leave her. The woman, who was not identified, was charged with attempted murder.

"It is alleged that on Jan. 8, the complainant recorded herself assaulting and strangling her son," Col. Thembeka Mbele, a KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, said, adding that the video showed the child struggling to breathe and "crying beyond control."

In the two videos, the woman is allegedly seen lying on the bed with her son as she is slapping him on his face, pinching his face and buttocks and kicking his head. The baby cries hysterically throughout the two minutes long video.

"The matter was reported to the Newcastle FCS who immediately opened a case and arrested the suspect. The child was taken to hospital and is reported to be well," Mbele said.

After being treated, the child was handed over to the father.

A child rights activist, identified as Jackie Branfield, said the woman should not be allowed near her child until she has undergone psychological analysis and treatment, according to South Africa's Independent Online news portal.

“To use that sort of manipulation is inexcusable,” she said. “For trying to murder her two-year-old baby, recording it on video and sending it out, she needs to be confined to a mental institution.”

In another similar incident that was reported earlier this month, a 22-year-old woman in central China was detained by police after she posted a video online, showing her physically abusing her one-month-old daughter. The mother from Hengyang in Hunan province filmed herself slapping her baby daughter repeatedly and trying to smother her.

During questioning, she told officers she was feeling lonely and had hoped the video would make her estranged husband feel guilty about deserting her and he would come home. The video allegedly shows the mother slapping her crying infant 15 times in ten seconds before covering the baby’s entire face with her hand.