Man held for killing child

2003-12-23 21:44

Pretoria - A 32-year-old man was arrested on Monday for the murder of his girlfriend's three-year-old daughter.

The girl's mother reported her missing last month, shortly after she laid an assault charge against her live-in lover.

A child's body was spotted on Saturday by local residents chasing a robbery suspect through a veld near Onderstepoort, north of Pretoria, police area commissioner Amon Mashigo said.

The mother failed to identify the body, and DNA tests were being conducted to confirm that it was her daughter.

The man was arrested on Monday night, and allegedly confessed to the murder.

"The girl's underwear and a takkie believed to be that of the suspect were found a few metres from the body," Mashigo said. "The items will be sent for forensic analysis."

A post mortem examination would be conducted to establish the cause of death.

The man will appear in court shortly.

- SAPA