Chatsworth girl's horrific abuse: sister and husband deny claims, and blame in-laws

The claims included the child: . Had nails hammered into her foot. . Was hit with beer bottles until they broke on her head. · Lost her hair and teeth after being assaulted with a hammer.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL

A CHATSWORTH couple facing charges of attempted murder and brutal child abuse of the woman's sister, who was 10 years old at the time, have denied responsibility.

They claimed the woman's mother-in-law and sister-in-law inflicted the injuries.

This emerged in the Durban Regional Court this week, where the couple are on trial for allegedly inflicting years of torture and abuse on the child.

In October 2021, the child was placed in the care of her sister after their mother died.

It emerged in court that the child, now 12 years old, had sustained brutal and unimaginable injuries due to the torture.

This included being stabbed several times, assaulted with a hammer on her face and head which caused her to lose her teeth and hair, and burns from boiling water which was thrown on her.

The trial of the two accused continued in the Durban Regional Court this week.

The couple have been charged with attempted murder, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, and child neglect.

The woman is facing an additional charge of sexual assault after she allegedly forced the girl to touch her private parts while filming her on her cellphone.

The couple have also been charged with child neglect for not providing a safe and secure environment for the girl, by constantly torturing and abusing her, preventing her from attending school, and refusing to give her food.