Dad tries to kill son--twice: once with poison, once with fire (Bloemfontein, South Africa)

UNNAMED DAD has been acccused of trying to murder his 1-year-old son with poison--apparently to punish his girlfriend, the mother, for her real or imaginary transgressions. After that attempt failed, Dad tried to kill the two of them in an arson murder-suicide, which thankfully failed as well.

http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/4e968850798f471192c7bc5fd36111b4/05-03-2010-06-17/Man_tries_to_kill_son_-_twice

Man tries to kill son - twice
2010-03-05 18:17

Bloemfontein - Neighbours of a Ladybrand man twice saved his one-year-old boy's life when the father apparently tried to commit suicide with the child, police said on Friday.

The 26-year-old man had an argument with his girlfriend on Thursday night around 19:00 for having an affair with another man, Free State police spokesperson Constable Consolation Mokoale said.

"It was alleged that while they were busy arguing his girlfriend left the room, leaving him with the one-year-old son and went to her (other) boyfriend."

While the woman was away, the man apparently took the boy and prepared poison for both of them.

"Neighbours noticed in time and managed to stop him."

Later a neighbour saw smoke coming from the man's shack and went to investigate. The shack was burning with the man and boy inside. Locals managed to extinguish the fire and reported the matter to police. The man was arrested for attempted murder.

He was expected to appear in the Ladybrand Magistrate's Court on Monday.


- SAPA