The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has convicted Amber Lee Hughes, a 25-year-old preschool teacher, of the murder and sexual assault of her four-year-old stepdaughter, Nada-Jane Challita.
The case shocked South Africa not only for the brutality of the crime but also for the contradictions in Hughes’s defence.
She initially denied all responsibility, but later admitted to drowning Nada-Jane in the bathroom of her Glenvista home on 23 January 2023. Forensic evidence confirmed drowning as the cause of death, ruling out any defence of accident .
Where Hughes continued to deny responsibility was on the charge of assault.
A forensic pathologist testified that Nada-Jane sustained a fresh injury shortly before her death, consistent with penetration by a small object.
With Hughes alone in custody of the child during that time window, the court concluded that she was responsible, despite her denial .
The court also considered Hughes’s claim of Borderline Personality Disorder.
However, Hughes admitted she was aware of her actions, which undermined any claim of diminished capacity.
On 27 August 2025, she was convicted on both charges, with sentencing postponed to October 2025 .
The case has broader implications. Experts note that female-perpetrated child abuse is often underreported, misinterpreted, or dismissed due to societal expectations of women as caregivers.
The Hughes trial shattered this blind spot, forcing the justice system to rely heavily on forensic medicine to establish the truth .
For Nada-Jane’s family, the loss is immeasurable. For South Africa, the case is a reminder that children require vigilance regardless of who their caregiver is.