Woman accused of torturing grandchild dies in prison

A 55-YEAR-OLD Chatsworth grandmother who allegedly tortured, starved and beat a 3-year-old who became known as Baby X died in the Westville Prison on Tuesday.

The woman and her co-accused daughter, 35, faced judgment on August 20.

She died apparently after suffering a shortness of breath.

Her trial began in 2015.

The grandmother and her daughter could not be named to protect the identity of Baby X’s siblings, who were also allegedly assaulted by the pair.

The two were arrested in 2014 after Baby X was found dead at their Chatsworth home.

Baby X’s three siblings had been State witnesses.

The mother, who also testified, blamed the grandmother for the child’s death.

She told the court she feared her own mother, who she claimed had bullied and tortured the children.

The grandmother had chosen not to testify in her defence.

On various social media platforms, many had no kind words about the grandmother’s death, with some lashing out at the State, saying the case had dragged on for too long.

Chatsworth community leader Rocky Naidoo said the case had taken a long time, but it usually took a while for the law to take its course.

“Now that the grandmother has died, justice might not have been served on her by the court, but justice has been served by an Almighty God. Baby X will be at peace,” said Naidoo.