An 18-year-old teenager has appeared before the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court after being arrested and charged with the murder of his three-year-old brother.

The shocking incident has left the community in disbelief, as the boy’s lifeless body was allegedly found in a dustbin.

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana, the tragedy unfolded on January 31, 2025, at around 11:00 a.m.

The toddler’s mother was at home with her three sons—aged 16, 18, and 22—when she noticed the youngest child was missing.

Initially assuming he was playing at a neighbour’s house, she did not raise an alarm.

However, when he had not returned by 1:00 p.m., panic set in, and she began searching for him.

As the desperate search continued, her 16-year-old son made a horrifying discovery.

While tending to their goats near the N1 highway, he spotted his older brother placing the lifeless toddler into a dustbin.

Stunned, he confronted him before carrying the dustbin home and alerting their mother.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, but it was too late.

The child was declared dead.

The following day, the 18-year-old suspect surrendered to the police, allegedly confessing that he had poisoned his younger brother using rat poison.

In his first court appearance, the teenager faced murder charges, and the case was postponed to February 13, 2025, for a formal bail application.

The heartbreaking case has sent shockwaves through the community, leaving many grappling with the painful reality of a family torn apart by tragedy.