Chevonne Rusch’s parents handed hefty jail sentences
A woman and a man have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a two-year-old Gauteng girl.
WARNING: The following story is about child abuse and is not suitable for young readers and may be distressing for others.
Chevonne Rusch was brought in to a clinic in Primrose, east of Johannesburg in May 2022 with multiple bruises and severe injuries.
The child later died from severe bleeding on her brain after head trauma.
Her mother Rochelle Botha and her boyfriend Stefan van Niekerk were arrested three months later.
They were found guilty of murder and rape .
On Monday the Johannesburg High Court sentenced the pair to life plus 25 years each.
Botha has already filed an application to appeal which will be heard next month.
Action Society says justice has been served for a toddler.
The civil rights group's Juanita du Preez says Chevonne was subjected to constant abuse, torment and neglect in her two short years.
"We are satisfied with the sentences and we hope that these two who were supposed to be loving and caring we hope that they will never ever see the light of day again. Nothing will bring Chavonne back, and nothing can take away the pain and the suffering that we went through in her short little time."
