Amber Lee Hughes murdered four-year-old Nada-Jane Challita when the girl’s dad, Elie, left her in his partner’s care while he went to a job interview as Hughes sent chilling texts
A sick nursery teacher who sat on her partner’s four-year-old daughter in the bath until she drowned carried out the horrific act for a chilling reason.
Amber Lee Hughes raped and killed her partner’s daughter, Nada-Jane Challita, after the tot’s dad, Elie, left her with Hughes while he went to a job interview. After Elie left, Hughes was outraged that her partner had not kissed her goodbye, believing that he had been unfaithful.
“You broke my heart; I’m going to burn yours. How could you do that to me?” asked Hughes in a disturbing message before the brutal attack on January 23, 2023. The teacher then put little Nada-Jane in the bath tub, where she sat on the young girl until she drowned.
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In a post-mortem it was discovered Nada-Jane had been raped twice before her tragic death. At Johannesburg High Court in South Africa, Hughes said: “I admit that I suffered from borderline personality disorder at the time of the incident but was aware of what I was doing on that day.
“The event was triggered by the argument I had with the deceased’s father concerning his infidelity, and the final trigger was when he told me that I should stop bombarding him. I admit that after the deceased became unresponsive, I left her in the bathtub with the cold water tap still running.”
After the murder, Hughes tried to take her own life three times. As she was sentenced on Monday, Hughes claimed her behaviour had been impacted by her traumatic childhood and mental health.
Social worker Carina Wolmarans also testified that Hughes had been bullied and attempted to end her life multiple times. Wolmarans argued that Hughes had a deep regret over the murder, telling the court: “She said she wishes she could take it back.”
However, Judge Richard Mkabela said Hughes’ actions were “clearly premeditated”. He said Hughes’ texts before the murder showed her intent, adding: “The inference is irresistible that [Hughes] made threat of burning Mr Challita’s heart and made good on that threat.”
Hughes and Elie began their relationship in 2021, as the nursey teacher moved in with him and Nada-Jane. The court heard the relationship was turbulent, with Hughes threatening to harm Nada-Jane repeatedly.
Hughes was found guilty of predmeditated murder and vaginal rape in August, charges that carry minimum terms of life imprisonment. When asked about his former partner’s punishment, Elie said no sentence would be enough.
“Obviously, I’m the parent of the child. The justice that I seek doesn’t exist in this world or in this lifetime,” he said.