Heartbroken Dad Demands Answers Following Death of 22-Month-Old at Crèche.
“I wouldn’t wish this type of pain on my worst enemy.” These are the words of grieving father, Njabulo Ziqubu, after the tragic death of his 22-month-old daughter, Amandla, at Little Inocence Day Care Centre in Goodwood last week.
Amandla was found unresponsive after nap time, shortly after allegedly eating noodles provided by the creche. She was rushed to hospital but was later declared dead.
The daycare has since stopped accepting new applications and is only accommodating children whose parents had already paid for the month, following revelations that it had been operating illegally without registration as an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre.
Speaking while preparing for his daughter’s funeral in KwaZulu-Natal, Ziqubu described his pain as unbearable.
“It’s a pain you cannot describe as a parent. All you know is that it hurts so much. Right now, all I want is justice for Amandla.”
He recalled his daughter’s final morning vividly:
“She was full of life when I dropped her off. We had such a happy morning—singing, counting. She was very intelligent. When she got home, the plan was to watch her favourite show, Cocomelon. But that day turned into a nightmare.”
Ziqubu rushed to the daycare after receiving a frantic call from his partner. There, he found teachers crying outside and other parents leaving with their children. Inside, he discovered Amandla lying motionless on a stranger’s lap.
“I took her, spoke to her, reminded her we were going to watch Cocomelon. But she didn’t respond. My heart broke into pieces.”
He then carried her to his car, escorted by police to the nearest hospital, after learning the creche had allegedly failed to call for medical help. Doctors later confirmed she had already passed away.
Adding to his anguish, Ziqubu later discovered that the “first aider” who attempted to assist was in fact the principal’s husband and a security guard. He also questioned why Amandla was given noodles despite always bringing her own lunch.
“She was only there for eight days. I have so many questions and I want answers. Above all, I want justice for my child.”
Creche principal Odette Innocentio expressed condolences to the family but admitted the centre was not formally registered. She claimed registration documents had been submitted during the Covid-19 period but were never processed.
We are all in shock. We’ve never experienced anything like this before. On that day, the child didn’t want to eat her snack, so we gave her noodles. We don’t buy from spaza shops; I always check expiry dates. I sympathise with the parents and also want answers.”
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed the facility is neither registered nor listed as pending registration. A team has since been assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding Amandla’s death.
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