In a disturbing case, a young female nursery school teacher is currently facing trial in the Johannesburg High Court in South Africa for the alleged rape and murder of her boyfriend’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita, while the child was under her supervision.
The accused, Amber Lee Hughes, 25, entered a plea of not guilty as her trial commenced. Prosecutors claim that Hughes assaulted the little girl through rape and then proceeded to drown her and inflict self-harm on her wrists in January 2023.
According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, the accused had moved in with the victim’s family after developing a romantic relationship with the girl’s father. During her stay, there were reported frequent arguments, with Hughes purportedly making threats against the child.
Allegedly, when the father, Elie Challita, left his daughter alone in Hughes’ care, she carried out the horrific acts of rape, drowning, and self-inflicted harm on the child. Tragically, the lifeless body of the little girl was discovered in a bathtub.
Challita, testifying in court, revealed that Hughes had displayed jealousy towards his daughter, accusing him of favoring the child over her. On the day of the incident, Hughes, apparently upset over a perceived slight, sent a disturbing message to Challita, indicating a troubled state of mind.
Dr. Hestelle van Staden, an expert in forensic pathology, provided crucial evidence during the trial, explaining that the cause of death was linked to asphyxiation and sexual assault. The legal proceedings are ongoing.
This distressing case emerges following another heinous crime where a man in South Africa confessed to raping his own newborn daughter to death while his wife was away. The perpetrator, Hugo Ferreira, expressed twisted motives for his abhorrent actions, highlighting the tragic vulnerability of innocent victims in such horrifying incidents.