FREE STATE. — A mother of three has been arrested in Zastron on a charge of child neglect after her six-year-old son allegedly did not attend school because his school clothes were not washed.
Sgt Sinah Mpakane, police spokesperson, says the boy was found in the street on Tuesday after he did not go to school. He allegedly told police his mother had sent him to the shop to buy maize meal. She was later found at a tavern in Itumeleng. According to police, she appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and had her five-year-old child with her. The child was allegedly dirty and appeared not to have been adequately cared for. There were also allegations that both children were hungry. The mother also has a fourteen-year-old child, who according to police regularly does not attend school at home due to neglect circumstances.
According to Free State Care in Action, the family received support from social workers from June to December 2025, but the mother allegedly refused to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse. Police say there have also been previous reports that the children were without food when their mother was under the influence of alcohol. The woman is expected to appear in the Zastron Magistrate's Court. The case will also involve the relevant state departments.
This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
