Johannesburg — Four people, including the mother of a four-year-old boy, appeared in the Johannesburg Regional Court on Thursday on charges of child abuse and attempted murder after a disturbing video showed the toddler being encouraged to smoke a mandrax-laced pipe.
The woman, from Newclare, was seen in the video instructing her son to light the pipe and smoke it with her while other adults watched.
The video, which went viral on Tuesday, sparked national outrage and led to a swift tip-off and arrests by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) later that night.
She was arrested along with two men allegedly present during the incident, while a third suspect was taken into custody the following day.
#JMPD OFFICERS APPREHEND SUSPECTS IN VIRAL CHILD ABUSE VIDEO
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) is pleased to announce the swift apprehension of three suspects involved in a distressing video that went viral on 29 July 2025. The video depicted a young boy… pic.twitter.com/RJhyhQOQJL
— Jo’burg Metro Police Department – JMPD (@JoburgMPD) July 30, 2025
All four are accused of exposing the child to a harmful substance and intend to apply for Legal Aid lawyers.
They were remanded in custody until Monday, August 4.
The JMPD confirmed that the suspects admitted to using mandrax and filming the incident, with their cellphones confiscated as evidence. Police also confirmed the boy’s age as four, correcting earlier reports that he was three.
He has since been taken to a place of safety after undergoing medical assessment at a hospital.
The case has triggered public condemnation, with community members and political leaders protesting outside the court. Meanwhile, the SA Police Service’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit is leading the investigation.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
