A 10-year-old girl attempted to hang herself after allegedly being assaulted by her father in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), on Friday afternoon.
This is according to the security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), which was called to the scene by neighbours.
Father allegedly told daughter to kill herself
The girl told a Rusa officer that she was hurt while playing with her brothers. She started crying and vomiting when her father allegedly assaulted her. He also allegedly told her to commit suicide.
“The girl wrote a suicide note before she entered a bedroom. The note stated that her family should not enter the room as she intended on ending her life. She then tied two scarves together. She secured one end to her neck before she climbed onto a cupboard,” Rusa said in a statement.
“The minor was in the process of fastening the other end of the scarf to an extension cord that was mounted to the wall when her 13-year-old sibling entered the room and prevented her from jumping off the cupboard.”
Her older brother also tore up the suicide note.
The neighbours got involved after hearing the shouting from the children.
Police were called to the scene and are investigating the incident.
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Missing child’s body found in neighbour’s pool
On Thursday, Rusa officers also attended the scene where the body of a five-year-old boy was found floating in a neighbour’s pool in Lotusville, Verulam.
Mvelo Gumede’s body was found after he went missing on Wednesday afternoon while playing in the garden at his home.
While Rusa members were searching the area, they were informed by a resident that a child was found floating in his pool.
Paramedics retrieved the child’s body from the pool and declared him dead shortly after.
ALSO READ: PICS | Missing child’s body found floating in neighbour’s pool
