Police face criticism over sex assault case

POLICE have been lambasted for their insensitive handling of a case in which a three-year-old girl was allegedly brutally molested by a four-year-old boy at a daycare centre.

Last week, TimesLIVE reported how a 40-year-old mother was told by police in Mabopane north of Pretoria that they would not investigate the matter‚ as the alleged sexual assault had occurred between children.

She said this was despite a medical examination revealing the toddler had been sexually assaulted‚ although no DNA traces were found.

Forensic nurse Vincentia Dlamini‚ an operations director at Women and Men Against Women and Child Abuse‚ said it was highly unlikely that a four-yearold could be capable of inflicting such severe injuries.

She said this should have been the starting point for the police.

Dlamini said police should have at least opened an inquest into the incident and ensured that a forensic examination was conducted to establish what exactly happened.

“It is highly unlikely a fouryear-old could have caused such injuries. Police were very insensitive . . . meaning we may never know who hurt the child.”