A four-month-old baby who was reported missing has been found dead in a shallow grave near the Hennops River, in a case that has shocked the community and prompted urgent calls for justice. The child’s mother was allegedly raped and tied up on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, before her baby was taken.
Police have arrested the 24-year-old wife of a pastor and are actively hunting the pastor, whom they are treating as the main suspect. A case of kidnapping, rape, and murder has been opened. The circumstances surrounding the attack have left investigators and community members reeling.
According to preliminary reports, the mother was assaulted and restrained before the baby was abducted. The discovery of the infant’s body in a shallow grave near the river has intensified the grief and outrage that has swept through Atteridgeville and beyond.
Not In My Name International, a prominent civil society organisation that campaigns against gender-based violence and femicide, expressed devastation at the news and called for a thorough and swift investigation. “This is a heart-breaking reminder of the depths of depravity that exist in our society,” the organisation said. “A mother was violated, and an innocent child was taken from this world. We demand that those responsible face the full might of the law.”
The arrest of the pastor’s wife and the manhunt for the pastor have added a complex dimension to the case, with investigators working to establish the motives and circumstances behind the attack. Police have urged anyone with information about the pastor’s whereabouts to come forward immediately.
The community of Atteridgeville has rallied around the grieving mother, with local leaders calling for calm and for the law to take its course. Counselling services have been made available to those affected by the tragedy.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on finding the main suspect and ensuring that justice is served for both the mother and her deceased child. For a community already scarred by violence, the tragedy is another painful reminder of the urgent need to protect the most vulnerable—and to hold perpetrators accountable.
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