Copyright dailyrecord
A four-year-old girl was raped and drowned by her dad's partner. Nada-Jane Chalita was murdered by Amber Lee Hughes after she sat on the child in the bath until she drowned in January 2023. Hughes had become angry with her partner Elie, Nada-Jane's father, after suspecting him of having an affair when he failed to kiss her goodbye before leaving for a job interview, reports the Mirror . Incensed, nursery school teacher Hughes threatened Elie in a message before the rape and murder, saying: "You broke my heart; I’m going to burn yours. How could you do that to me?" Hughes was found guilty of premeditated murder and vaginal rape at Johannesburg High Court in South Africa, charges that carry minimum terms of life imprisonment. The court heard Hughes said: "I admit that I suffered from borderline personality disorder at the time of the incident but was aware of what I was doing on that day. "The event was triggered by the argument I had with the deceased’s father concerning his infidelity, and the final trigger was when he told me that I should stop bombarding him. "I admit that after the deceased became unresponsive, I left her in the bathtub with the cold water tap still running." Following the murder, Hughes attempted to end her life on three occasions. During sentencing on Monday, October 27, Hughes claimed her traumatic child hood and mental health had impacted her behaviour. Social worker Carina Wolmarans had testified Hughes had been bullied and had tried to end her life multiple times, according to the Sun . Wolmarans argued Hughes had deep regret over the murder and told the court : "She said she wishes she could take it back." Judge Richard Mkabela said Hughes actions were "clearly premeditated" as the texts to Elie before the murder showed her intent. He said: "The inference is irresistible that [Hughes] made threat of burning Mr Challita’s heart and made good on that threat." Hughes and Elie entered into a relationship in 2021 and she eventually moved in with him and Nada-Jane. The turbulent relationship saw Hughes repeatedly threaten to harm Nada-Jane, the court heard. When asked about the trial, Elie said no sentence would be enough. He added: "Obviously, I’m the parent of the child. The justice that I seek doesn’t exist in this world or in this lifetime."
