Amber-Lee Hughes, convicted of premeditated murder and rape of four-year-old Nada Jane Challita, testified in Johannesburg High Court on February 18, 2026, after postponements for legal consultations.
She admitted drowning the child in a cold bathtub in 2023, claiming it stemmed from emotional buildup after discovering Nada’s father’s infidelity.
Hughes said she snapped, planning to kill both herself and Nada, believing the child was better off dead than with her father.
“I thought that it would have been better if Nada was dead than to just be with her father,” Hughes told the court.
[WATCH]: Self confessed child killer, Amber Lee Hughes claims she murdered her ex boyfriend’s 4 year old daughter to save her from a life of neglect.
She has told the court she wanted to kill Nada Jane Chalita and herself, after learning that the child’s father had been cheating… pic.twitter.com/wUeNZxZOoW
— Kaya News (@KayaNews) February 18, 2026
Background and Career
Hughes shared a history of suicide attempts from ages 14-16 due to depression and home issues.
She worked in modeling and waitressing before interning at Baby Steps preschool in 2020, becoming a teacher in 2021. Personal struggles led to demotion and resignation in 2022.
Testimony and Mental Health
Hughes insisted she always wanted to plead guilty to murder but was advised against it initially. A social worker’s October 2025 report cited Hughes’s childhood trauma from age six, diagnosing PTSD and borderline personality disorder (BPD), which impaired her ability to manage anger and frustration, contributing to the crime.
Sentencing proceedings continue.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
