A South African father has admitted to the murder of his one-week-old daughter after he sexually assaulted her while they were alone in their home.
Hugo Ferreira, 37, from Welverdiend, chillingly revealed that he raped his child in 2023 because he wanted to “give her something to cry about.”
The Pretoria High Court heard that the baby’s mother, Maureen Brand, briefly left the home to run errands when the crime took place. She came back to discover her infant suffering from severe injuries on June 8, 2023.
Tragically, the baby girl succumbed to head injuries at the hospital after Ferreira forcefully “pushed her head against” a hard surface. He excused his barbaric behavior by claiming he was “unhappy” being left to care for the child by Brand.
Brand had stepped out to sell clothes and buy diapers, telling Ferreira she would return in five minutes. However, when she was delayed, Ferreira grew enraged, as the baby needed a diaper change.
Ferreira recounted the appalling moment he chose to assault the innocent baby, stating: “I grabbed the baby hard, and in the process, I pushed her head against the surface on which I was working.”
He acknowledged the brutality of his actions, admitting: “I accept that it was a cruel and gruesome attack, especially on such a young baby. The action was clearly illegal, and I did it with intent.”
When recounting the incident, he admitted to keeping his child hidden from her mother, news24 reported.
“When her mother returned, I realized she would see that something was wrong,” he confessed. “I kept the baby away from her until later that day. I did this because I realized the baby was seriously injured.”
Ferreira acknowledged the gravity of his actions and the potential fatal outcome for his daughter. He insisted his use of methamphetamines did not drive his decisions that day.
His sentencing is expected to take place next week.
