South African man kidnaps and kills his two-month-old son after fight with girlfriend; stuffs body in backpack

A 31-year-old man named Wouter Pieters appeared in the Kenhardt Magistrate’s Court in Northern Cape, South Africa, facing charges of kidnapping and murder.

Pieters stands accused of kidnapping and murdering his two-month-old son, whose body was discovered stuffed in a backpack abandoned in the veld in the area on March 10, 2024.

After being on the run, Pieters was arrested on Sunday, March 24.

Police reports indicate that Pieters and the child’s mother had a domestic dispute on March 9. Following the altercation, Pieters left the home and took the baby, placing him in a backpack as he departed the premises.

The mother promptly reported the incident to the police, and Pieters had been evading arrest since then.

However, he was spotted at the local golf course in Kenhardt by members of the community who apprehended him and handed him over to the authorities.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam informed the Diamond Fields Advertiser that Pieters was apprehended by members of the public and was scheduled to appear in the local magistrate’s court.

Pieters made a brief court appearance on Tuesday and was formally charged with the murder and kidnapping of the two-month-old boy.