Self-confessed child killer blames personality disorder, father’s ‘infidelity’ for her crime

In a dramatic and somber turn of events at the Johannesburg High Court, murder accused Amber Lee Hughes confessed to killing her ex-lover’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita.

Hughes admitted she intentionally drowned the child by sitting on her in the bathtub until she was submerged.

This shocking revelation unfolded on Thursday morning, following last week’s postponement that allowed Hughes’ new legal team to consult with her.

The 25-year-old former preschool teacher, who is facing two counts of rape and one of murder, maintained her innocence on the sexual assault charges, attributing her actions to a diagnosed borderline personality disorder.

“I admit that I was admitted to the South Rand Hospital on the day of the incident and was classified as parasuicidal and that the diagnosis made at the South Rand Hospital was that I was diagnosed as borderline personality disorder,” she says in a signed letter of admission, detailing the grim events that led to the young child’s death.

“The whole event was triggered by the fight I had with the deceased father concerning his infidelity and the final trigger was when he told me that I should stop bombarding him,” her lawyer, Marius Bouwer, read in court.

She says she left the deceased four-year-old in the bathtub, with the cold-water tap running.

Hughes’ statement also included a harrowing account of her attempt to take her own life moments after the murder.

She says she slit her wrist using glass shattered by a dog and later tried to hang herself but failed to find a suitable rope.

“I admit that I also then attempted another suicide by cutting my wrists with a knife which caused a deep laceration,” reads the letter.

Hughes told the court that she intended to plead guilty to murder but not to rape. She denies inserting any object into the child’s body, as alleged by the state.

Nada-Jane’s body was discovered two years ago at her family’s home in Glenvista, south of Johannesburg.

Outside court, the victim’s father, Elie Challita, reacted with shock to the developments.

“This is a person that I admit that indeed she tricked me, very well done, I’m not an easy person to trick. She tricked me.”

Challita says now his focus is on understanding what truly took place on that fateful day.

“Now I know legally that she killed my child; I now wanna know how long she tortured her before she killed her,” he adds.

Despite Hughes’ continued denial of the rape charges, he believes it will ultimately be proven that his daughter was sexually assaulted.

“I admit that I pleaded not guilty on the rape charges and admit that I persist with the denial that I have raped the deceased by inserting any object into either the anus or the vagina of the deceased.”

Closing arguments in the case are set for August 7, providing the state time to fully process these significant new admissions before judgment is handed. Written by Lebohang Ndashe