The trial of 25-year-old preschool teacher Amber Lee Hughes began at the Johannesburg High Court, unveiling a terrifying story of betrayal and cruelty.
Hughes entered a not guilty plea to the horrific crimes allegedly committed on January 23, 2023, in connection with the rape and murder of her six-year-old stepdaughter and learner, Nada-Jane Challita.
Her bail application was turned down previously, and she remains in jail.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said: “The court heard that the preschool teacher allegedly developed a romantic relationship with the deceased’s father.
“She moved in with them, and during her stay, their relationship was allegedly marked by frequent altercations.”
Packed courtroom stunned
The graphic details, which depicted a woman entrusted with a child’s care who allegedly became her worst nightmare, stunned the terrified people who packed the courtroom.
Prosecutors claim that Hughes, who taught at Nada-Jane preschool, wormed her way into the young girl’s life after developing a romantic relationship with the child’s father.
After Hughes moved in with them, their relationship reportedly quickly soured and descended into heated arguments.
The court heard that during these blowouts, Hughes allegedly threatened to hurt little Nada-Jane on multiple occasions, using the defenceless child as a pawn in her perverse schemes.
Hughes and the little girl were left alone on that fateful January day when the father was not present, and what transpired left the courtroom in stunned silence.
Horrific act of cruelty
The prosecution said that Hughes committed a horrific act of cruelty by raping Nada-Jane and violating her with an unidentified object.
To make matters worse, she is charged with slitting her wrists and drowning the six-year-old in the bathtub, leaving her lifeless body floating in the water like a discarded doll.
When the police arrived, the scene was one of unspeakable horror, with reports that Nada-Jane’s father had collapsed upon witnessing his daughter’s demise.
The first witness’ testimony on Monday was gripping but was cut short as the trial was adjourned to Tuesday, leaving everyone hungry for answers.
Hughes denies everything while remaining cool and collected in the dock, but there are murmurs in the gallery about how she will account for the mounting evidence.
The trial is still ongoing.
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