Convicted child killer says she believed drowning four-year-old was the only way to “save” her

Convicted child killer Amber Lee Hughes has told the Johannesburg High Court she believed the only way to “save” her former boyfriend’s four-year-old daughter, Nada-Jane Challita, was to take her life.

Hughes, 26, who was convicted six months ago of premeditated murder and rape, took the stand on Wednesday following two days of delays, delivering disturbing and emotional evidence about her mental state and actions on the day she drowned the child at her Glenvista home.

Under questioning from her lawyer, Marius Bower, Hughes said she became emotionally overwhelmed after discovering WhatsApp messages she claimed showed her former boyfriend, Elie Challita, attempting to solicit prostitutes.

She told the court she confronted him throughout the day and that her emotional distress escalated while she was alone at home with the child.

Hughes testified that she later entered the bathroom where Nada-Jane was playing, apologised to her, and then forced her head under bathwater until she drowned.

She further told the court she attempted to take her own life several times after the incident before eventually contacting the child’s family to apologise.

Earlier in her testimony, Hughes detailed a long history of mental health struggles, saying she was referred to a psychologist at the age of nine following severe bullying and difficulty adjusting to a new school after her family moved to Johannesburg.

She said her condition worsened in her teenage years, when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depression.

Hughes also told the court she stopped taking her psychiatric medication at various stages due to financial constraints, including in the months leading up to the child’s death.

Later in the proceedings, Hughes expressed remorse and acknowledged the consequences of her actions.

She apologised to the court and to the child’s family and said she thinks about Nada-Jane every day and has accepted responsibility for the murder.

However, Hughes denied allegations that she threatened the child’s father in WhatsApp messages and rejected the rape conviction.

She also told the court that she has been receiving psychiatric treatment while in custody at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, and is continuing her studies, expressing hope that ongoing therapy will aid her rehabilitation.

The court is expected to consider Hughes’ testimony, mental health history, and expressions of remorse before handing down sentence. She faces the possibility of life imprisonment.

Sentencing proceedings continue at the Johannesburg High Court.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe