A nursery school teacher has confessed to the brutal murder of her partner’s four-year-old daughter after flying into a jealous rage.
Amber Lee Hughes admitted at Johannesburg High Court in South Africa that she drowned little Nada-Jane Challita in a bathtub filled with cold water.
In harrowing testimony, the court heard how Hughes forced the child’s head underwater by sitting on her as she fought to escape.
Prosecutors graphically told the court on 24 July that the teacher had earlier raped the defenceless youngster.
Nada-Jane had been left alone with Hughes on 23 January 2023 while her father, Elie Challita, went to a job interview, the court was told.
But Hughes suspected he was cheating and sent him a chilling message which read: ‘You broke my heart. I’m going to burn yours. How could you do that to me?’
Prosecutors said the pair began dating in 2021, and Hughes later moved into the family home with Challita and his daughter.
Phindi Mjonondwane, speaking for the National Prosecuting Authority, told the court: ‘During her stay, their relationship was allegedly marked by frequent altercations.’
Hughes had previously denied any involvement in Nada-Jane’s death.
Although she has now confessed to murdering the child, she still denies the rape charge.
She told the court: ‘I admit that I suffered from borderline personality disorder at the time of the incident, but was aware of what I was doing on that day.
‘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.
‘I admit that after the deceased became unresponsive, I left her in the bathtub with the cold water tap still running.
She also told the court about how she tried to kill herself.
After the hearing, Nada-Jane’s father said he was relieved that the truth was starting to emerge.
He said: ‘Now I know, legally, she killed my child. I’m now waiting to find out how long she tortured her before she killed her.’