Nursery teacher admits to drowning partner's young daughter
A nursery teacher has admitted to murdering her partner's four-year-old daughter in a brutal act driven by jealousy and rage.
Amber Lee Hughes confessed to killing young Nada-Jane Challita while the child was in her care in Johannesburg, South Africa, reports the Mirror. Hughes, who suspected her partner Elie Challita of infidelity, sent him a chilling message just before the incident, vowing to "burn [his] heart."
As Mr Challita attended a job interview on January 23, 2023, Hughes filled a bathtub with cold water and drowned Nada-Jane by sitting on her, forcing the child's head underwater as she struggled to escape. The court heard Hughes left the water running even after the child was unresponsive.
The court was told that Hughes and Challita had been in a relationship for about two years, during which Hughes had moved into the family home. Their time together was described as tumultuous, marked by frequent arguments and escalating tensions. Prosecutor Phindi Mjonondwane said Hughes' growing jealousy ultimately turned deadly.
Though Hughes has now admitted to the murder, she continues to deny a separate charge of raping the child, which prosecutors allege occurred in the days leading up to the killing. "I persist with the denial that I have raped the deceased," she told Johannesburg High Court.
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Hughes claimed she suffers from borderline personality disorder but acknowledged she was fully aware of her actions during the killing. "The event was triggered by the argument I had with the deceased's father concerning his infidelity, and the final trigger was when he told me that I should stop bombarding him," she said in court. She also revealed she attempted to take her own life after the incident.
Speaking outside court, Nada-Jane's father said he was relieved that Hughes had finally admitted to the murder. "Now I know, legally, she killed my child," he said. "I'm now waiting to find out how long she tortured her before she killed her."
The case has been adjourned until Thursday, August 7, when the court will hear arguments relating to the rape charge.
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