The family of 20-month-old Naledi Rapuleng is demanding answers after the toddler died from severe head injuries allegedly suffered while she was in the care of a Virginia daycare centre in the Free State.
Naledi was taken to Lesedi Daycare Centre on 22 July by her grandmother, Montsheng Rapuleng. What began as a normal day ended with the toddler being taken to Welkom Mediclinic with a fractured skull and other serious head injuries.
She remained in intensive care until her death on 18 August.
More than a month later, her family is still trying to establish what happened during the period in which Naledi was under the supervision of the daycare staff.
Two caregivers, Tshiamo Khasapane, 21, and Bridgette Ntsala, 29, appeared in the Virginia Magistrate’s Court on 5 September and were released on bail. They are expected to return to court on 25 September.
Police are investigating culpable homicide and defeating the course of justice.
The charges and investigation do not amount to a finding of guilt against either caregiver.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Palesa Thabana said the Thabong Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit was handling the matter.
“Police were alerted to the incident by the treating doctor after the victim was brought to the hospital with severe head injuries in July 2026. Two caregivers were subsequently arrested on September 3, 2026,” Thabana said.
Family Says Explanation Changed
Naledi’s mother, Thope Rapuleng, said the family had repeatedly asked the daycare owner and staff to explain how her daughter sustained injuries while under their care.
She said the first explanation given to Naledi’s grandmother was that the child had fallen from a cot while sleeping.
When the grandmother asked for more information, the family was allegedly given a different account.
According to Thope, daycare owner Neo Hlaole later said staff members had told her that Naledi was sleeping on the floor when children playing nearby accidentally toppled a cot onto her.
“When my mother went to fetch Naledi, she found her injured. At first she was told that my baby had fallen from a cot she was sleeping in. When my mother pressed for more clarity, the story changed,” Thope said.
The family says the different explanations have deepened their uncertainty and made it more difficult to understand how the toddler suffered such serious injuries.
“I am still seeking answers about what happened to my child,” Thope said.
The family has not accused any specific person of deliberately harming Naledi. Its demand is for investigators and officials to establish what happened, who was present and whether the centre followed the required safety procedures.
Daycare Continued Operating
The family also questioned why the daycare continued operating while Naledi was in hospital fighting for her life.
Thope said Hlaole did not visit the hospital and told Naledi’s grandmother that she could not face the family.
“The crèche owner never came to the hospital. She told my mother she could not face me. What angers me most is that the crèche continued to operate while my child was fighting for her life,” Thope said.
The issue has become a major source of anger in the Virginia community, where residents have protested and demanded that the daycare be closed.
Community members say they want clear answers about the centre’s safety arrangements, whether officials inspected the premises and what action was taken after the toddler was injured.
ANC activist and community leader Keletso Monakale-Khang wrote to Free State Education MEC Mamiki Maboya, asking for urgent intervention and warning that tensions in the community were escalating.
In the letter, Monakale-Khang said residents in Ward 8 were angry about the lack of clear answers concerning Naledi’s injuries, the absence of an earlier public explanation and the centre’s continued operation.
Department Urges Caution
Maboya said she understood the family and community’s demand for answers but warned against reaching conclusions before the investigation had been completed.
“We understand why the family and community are demanding answers. They have every right to ask what happened to Naledi. But our responsibility is to ensure that the truth is established properly, fairly and without prejudice,” Maboya said.
The department said it had been notified on 22 July that Naledi had been injured at Lesedi Daycare Centre.
Department spokesperson Howard Ndaba said three staff members had been suspended pending an investigation.
He said the centre had complied with applicable requirements, including staff-to-child ratios and general health and safety standards.
However, questions remain about the centre’s registration, the date of its most recent inspection, any previous safety findings and whether the double-storey premises were suitable for young children.
The department has also not provided a full timeline of its intervention, identified the officials assigned to the matter or explained whether senior officials had been briefed before Naledi’s death.
Questions also remain about whether departmental officials met the family before the child was buried and whether any immediate steps were taken to secure evidence at the centre.
The department’s claim that the centre complied with general requirements will be tested against the findings of the investigation.
Owner Declines Detailed Comment
Hlaole declined to comment in detail, saying she was also distressed by what had happened.
She said she arrived at the daycare at the same time as Naledi’s grandmother and was not present when the incident occurred.
Her account and the family’s account differ on what happened inside the centre, but the investigation will have to establish the sequence of events using witness statements, medical evidence and other available information.
The daycare’s continued operation while Naledi was in hospital is also likely to remain a central concern for the family and community.
Whether the centre was legally required to close after the incident, whether officials issued any instructions and whether the premises were inspected after Naledi was injured are among the questions that remain unanswered.
Police Investigation Under Way
The police investigation involves both culpable homicide and defeating the course of justice.
A culpable-homicide investigation examines whether a person’s negligent conduct may have caused another person’s death.
The defeating-the-course-of-justice investigation indicates that police are also examining whether there was any attempt to interfere with or obstruct the proper investigation of the incident.
The charges against the two caregivers are still before court, and the state’s case will have to be tested through the legal process.
Investigators will need to establish who was supervising the children, where Naledi was when she was injured, what object or event caused the head injuries and when the daycare informed her family and emergency services.
They will also have to determine whether the accounts given to the family were accurate and consistent with the medical evidence.
The case has renewed attention on the safety of children placed in day-care centres while their parents and guardians are at work.
Families rely on these facilities to provide supervision, care and protection. When a child suffers a life-threatening injury, relatives need immediate and accurate information about what happened.
The questions raised by Naledi’s family go beyond one explanation about a cot. They concern the centre’s supervision, the condition and layout of its premises, the conduct of staff, the timing of the response and the role of the authorities responsible for oversight.
Community Demands Accountability
The protests in Virginia show that the matter has become a community concern as well as a criminal investigation.
Residents want the daycare’s future to be decided on the basis of facts, but they also want assurances that other children are not placed at risk while the investigation continues.
The Education Department has said its responsibility is to establish the truth fairly and without prejudice.
For Naledi’s family, the process is taking place alongside the grief of losing a child who was only 20 months old.
They are waiting for a clear account of the hours before she was taken to hospital and for an explanation of why the accounts given to them allegedly changed.
The caregivers are due back in the Virginia Magistrate’s Court on 25 September, when the case is expected to continue.
Until investigators and the court establish the facts, no person can be declared responsible for Naledi’s death.
But her family’s questions remain urgent: how did a toddler in daycare suffer a fractured skull, why were different explanations allegedly given, and why did the centre continue operating while she was in hospital?
Those answers will be central to the criminal investigation, the departmental inquiry and the community’s demand for accountability.
