A Birchleigh couple was arrested in connection with the death of their five-month-old baby boy. Norkem Park police spokesperson Captain Lesibana Molokomme said the husband, 28, and his wife, 24, were arrested on August 7 after  postmortem results indicated that the child suffered internal injuries.

Molokomme said police were summoned to the family home outside Kempton Park on the East Rand on August 4 last year. He  said when police arrived, they found paramedics already at the scene. “The child was declared dead in the house."

Molokomme said the baby’s mother told police that she found her baby in the cot, not breathing. An inquest docket was opened and the body was taken to a government mortuary for a postmortem.

“It was found that the child  suffered blunt force injuries when the report came recently,” said Molokomme.

The inquest docket was then changed to a charge of murder. Molokomme said the couple has since appeared in the Kempton Park magistrate's court.

“They will appear again on August 22 for a formal bail application  and they remain in custody.”