WINDHOEK – The mother who scalded her 10-year-old son with boiling water for apparently defying her orders to babysit his sibling was denied bail when she appeared in court.

Carolina Imbili, 43, made her first appearance in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court last week Thursday. Imbili’s case was postponed to December 4 for further investigations and to enable her to enlist a lawyer because of the seriousness of the charges she faces.

Public Prosecutor Idda Hertha Itembu said the state is opposing bail because of the seriousness of the offence as the victim was seriously injured and also psychologically traumatized. 
Imbili was advised to bring a formal bail application.

Imbili allegedly left the boy a week ago to babysit his two-year-old sibling while the mother went to the shop but the boy went to play, leaving the sibling alone. When the mother returned she could not trace the 10-year-old, which infuriated her.
Imbili was arrested last Tuesday afternoon after police were tipped off about the scalding.  The unemployed mother is charged under the Combating of Domestic Violence Act. Her case is being investigated by the gender-based violence investigation unit of the police that probes such cases.

In a similar incident, a stepmother to a 10-year-old girl appeared in the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court a week ago after she allegedly burnt the girl with boiling water after she forgot to switch off the geyser.