Mother speaks of anguish at seeing video of nanny flinging baby into cot

'It is the worst thing a mother can go through'

A mother who captured video footage of her nanny throwing her nine-month-old baby into a cot has said she feels betrayed.

Annemarie Theron, from Namibia, set up a hidden camera in the room of her child, Laila, after she spotted suspicious bruises on the girl’s body.

The nanny was caught on camera picking the baby up and carrying her roughly by her arms and legs, before flinging her into the cot.

The child can be heard screaming but is ignored by the nanny, who walks out of the room.

“It is the worst thing a mother can go through. I don't wish it on my worst enemies,” Ms Theron told South Africa’s TimesLIVE.

“This is someone we employed to look after our child and she broke our trust."

After watching the footage, she went to police in the southern town of Outjo.

Although the officers were initially reluctant to press charges as the film was obtained covertly, they changed their minds after watching it.

The nanny, who has worked for the family since May, was arrested last week and has been charged with attempted murder, child abuse and assault.

Ms Theron told Netwerk24 watching the footage had affected her badly, saying she had been left “broken” after placing her trust in the nanny.

“I refused to sleep, eat or drink for a couple of days afterward. It’s difficult to imagine how long this has been going on for.

“I don’t want her near my child ever again, or to pose a threat to other children."