‘No rehabilitation without remorse’: Mom, lover jailed for murder of Chevonne Rusch, 2

The Johannesburg high court has jailed a mother and her lover to lengthy jail terms for the murder of her two-year-old daughter, Chevonne Rusch.

The mother, 23 at the time of the murder, has been sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for murder, 25 years for aiding and abetting rape, 10 years for the attempted murder of another minor, 10 years each for abuse of two minors, and an additional five years for aiding and abetting sexual assault. 

Her 35-year-old partner was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for murder and rape, 10 years each for child abuse of two other children, 10 years for sexual assault and 15 years for attempted murder.

The sentences were handed down on Monday.

The two, who had been in a relationship for about a year, are not being named in this article to protect the identity of the other minor children. She was estranged from Chevonne's father and living with her lover when the offences took place.

Chevonne died on May 11 2022, on arrival at a Germiston clinic. Her death was found to be consistent with a blunt force head injury. According to expert witnesses, her body was covered in injuries, with about 49 on the outside and deep scalp haemorrhages with underlying brain haemorrhage on the inside.

The mother is appealing her convictions and maintains her innocence.

Luke Lamprecht, head of advocacy for Women and Men Against Child Abuse, who testified in aggravation of sentence in the trial, said neither of the two are remorseful.

"We hope if the appeal is granted they up her sentence to life," he said.

Lamprecht said the mother carries “as much blame” as the male abuser for her inaction to actively protect the children. He said it is clear the mother chose her sexual partner over the minors.

“There is nothing to suggest these adults are remorseful or take any responsibility for the childhoods devastated and destroyed. As a result, their prognosis for any form of rehabilitation and reintegration into a civilised society is extremely poor and therefore needs long-term structural containment.

“In addition, the children need to see adult authority punish the adults who decimated their childhood as this is part of their healing and the prevention of the intergenerational transmission of abuse called 'The War' (World of Abnormal Rearing) cycle."

TimesLIVE