In the case that has shocked residents, the baby’s parents told the police that the baby accidentally strangled herself while playing alone in the yard.
According to a police report, the baby’s body was discovered by her grandmother just before 4pm on Friday.
She found the baby girl’s body lying on the ground with the rope wrapped tightly around her neck.
The baby’s mother was in the house with her six-month-old baby when the accident happened, according to the police report.
“The parents stated that the girl died after injuries sustained by choking on the skipping rope, cutting off air,” explains Mashudu Phathela, spokesman for the Reiger Park SAPS.
“Instead of calling the police, the family called a local funeral undertaker to come and remove the body.
“However, the funeral undertaker noticed that the cause of death was not natural, so he reported the matter to the police,” Phathela says.
The body was then taken to the Government mortuary in Germiston, where an autopsy on the body will be conducted.
“According to the parents, the death appears to be accidental, but the Reiger Park police child unit is still investigating the death.”
The name of the girl who died has not been released.
