Heavily pregnant with what will be her 10th child, a 33-year-old mother appeared before Molepolole Magistrates’ Court this week accused of neglecting her children.
Neo Keiditswe is said to have left the four children she lives with, two 11-month-old twins, a two-year-old and a six-year-old, unattended for five whole days at the start of June.
According to the charge sheet, the Magokotswane ward woman left her kids alone ‘without parental care and without showing any further interest for a period of five days’.
Although the police let her off with a warning, Keiditswe allegedly re-offended this month, this time reportedly abandoning her babies to fend for themselves for two days.
She was arrested on 10th August and charged with two counts of child neglect.
During the brief arraignment, court advised that a social worker be engaged to conduct an assessment and submit a report.
Ordered to return to court for mention on 29th August, Keiditswe was given free bail and allowed to go home to her kids.
Her tummy bulging beneath a well-worn blue hoody, the young mum was later overheard telling police officers she had learnt her lesson after being chastened by the cops over the June incident and was innocent of the latest charge.
Keiditswe maintained she had been on her way to the clinic and had every intention of returning home as soon as possible.
She further revealed that three of her children stay with their father, one with her grandmother, another with her aunt while the rest live with her.