The decomposing body of an elderly woman was found in the room of a Hazelmere home last Friday.
The woman, who had suffered head injuries and was found lying in a bed, had been visiting her son, 33, at the time.
Neighbours were alerted to a pungent odour that led to the discovery of the body of the 72-year-old woman on Friday November 17.
The son was arrested for the alleged murder of his mother. Spokesperson for the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), Prem Balram said an off-duty policeman living in the area contacted Rusa for assistance just after 8am on Friday about the disappearance of an elderly woman. He said reaction officers were immediately dispatched and arrived on scene along with the Verulam SAPS.
“Rusa paramedics entered a room and discovered the decomposing body of (the woman) on a bed in her son’s rented communal housing room. Her son initially informed the first responders that she demised due to natural causes.
“Other residents informed law enforcement officers that the deceased was last seen on Tuesday (November 14). The landlord enquired about her well-being, but the son continuously provided reasons as to why she did not want to be disturbed,” said Mr Balram.
On Friday morning the landlord and other residents confronted the man and demanded to conduct a wellness check on his mother. They suspected that she was deceased due to a pungent smell emanating from the room, said Mr Balram. They thereafter approached the off-duty SAPS official for assistance who then contacted the Rusa operations centre and Verulam SAPS charge office.
“During an interview, the man provided reaction officers and the police with different versions of events that led to (his mother’s) demise. After further questioning, he confirmed that his mother lived at a home in South Beach, Durban – that specialised in caring for frail individuals. She arrived at his home two weeks ago to visit him,” said Mr Balram.
“On Tuesday, he decided to bathe her in the bathroom. He alleged that she refused to be bathed by him and turned violent and in a moment of anger he pushed her. The female fell to the ground and suffered head injuries. He dressed her and placed her on the bed before cleaning the blood from the bathroom.”
The man then left the property but later returned and discovered her deceased. He did not advise anyone of her demise and stayed in the room with her partially decomposing body for the following three nights, added Mr Balram. During the day he would leave and return in the afternoon. Mr Balram said the son was arrested without incident.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the landlady became suspicious when she did not see the mother for days. When she asked the son how his mother was doing, he would only say that she was fine but refused to open the door.
“On Friday morning the landlady forced the suspect to open the door and the decomposing body of his mother was found lying on the bed,” said Colonel Netshiunda.
