Tragic, senseless and heart-breaking 0 It is has been a sad start to the new week following reports on Monday that a mother allegedly suffocated her toddler daughter in a bizarre case of infanticide that has not only shocked the coastal community, but the entire country. This incident happened on the eve of the Day of the Namibian Child – a day dedicated to celebrating the lives and plight of the children of our country. According to the police, the 31-year-old woman reportedly tried to commit suicide after murdering her daughter and sent an SMS to the father of the child stating that she has killed his daughter. Even more shocking if the fact that she reportedly tried to set the car alight with the child’s body in it, until the police and members of the Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch intervened. Many Namibians have been left appalled by the behaviour of this woman, who simply can’t fathom the torment poor little Ava Owoses endured at the hands of someone who is supposed to protect her. Shocking stories about violence and aggression are not something new in this country. But the manner in which this innocent soul was taken away from us is tragic, senseless and heart-breaking. Words cannot describe the pain and the anguish the family is going through following this horrific event. The killing of little Ava is once again a reminder that as a nation we have failed to adopt fundamental principles that all citizens should uphold for the preservation of morals. It is a disturbing phenomenon that must be nipped in the bud. One life taken is a life too many. My and your outrage at the suspected killer won’t bring little Ava back to life. That sadly, is the painful truth. We simply cannot live in society where innocent children bear the brunt of senseless violence. We can no longer afford to put a Namibian child’s future in the balance. The wellbeing of our children must come first at all times.Tragic, senseless and heart-breaking 0 It is has been a sad start to the new week following reports on Monday that a mother allegedly suffocated her toddler daughter in a bizarre case of infanticide that has not only shocked the coastal community, but the entire country. This incident happened on the eve of the Day of the Namibian Child – a day dedicated to celebrating the lives and plight of the children of our country. According to the police, the 31-year-old woman reportedly tried to commit suicide after murdering her daughter and sent an SMS to the father of the child stating that she has killed his daughter. Even more shocking if the fact that she reportedly tried to set the car alight with the child’s body in it, until the police and members of the Swakopmund Neighbourhood Watch intervened. Many Namibians have been left appalled by the behaviour of this woman, who simply can’t fathom the torment poor little Ava Owoses endured at the hands of someone who is supposed to protect her. Shocking stories about violence and aggression are not something new in this country. But the manner in which this innocent soul was taken away from us is tragic, senseless and heart-breaking. Words cannot describe the pain and the anguish the family is going through following this horrific event. The killing of little Ava is once again a reminder that as a nation we have failed to adopt fundamental principles that all citizens should uphold for the preservation of morals. It is a disturbing phenomenon that must be nipped in the bud. One life taken is a life too many. My and your outrage at the suspected killer won’t bring little Ava back to life. That sadly, is the painful truth. We simply cannot live in society where innocent children bear the brunt of senseless violence. We can no longer afford to put a Namibian child’s future in the balance. The wellbeing of our children must come first at all times.