The family of three-year-old Aliyah Smith says they are still struggling to come to terms with her death as the murder case against her mother, Chandra ‘Shandre’ Smith, moves to the Durban High Court.
Smith appeared in the Chatsworth Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 2 October, where the matter was transferred to the Durban High Court. The case is expected to return to court next week.
Smith faces charges of murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and neglect relating to Aliyah’s death in 2023. The case initially began as an inquest before being converted into a murder docket.
Speaking to the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid, Aliyah’s aunt, Pauline Morrison, said the years since the child’s death had been deeply painful for the family.
Morrison said the family wanted justice for Aliyah.
“I pray justice plays its role and sees that justice is served. No amount of sentencing Shandre Smith will bring back our little Aliyah, but she will surely get her justice and she will rest in peace,” Morrison said.
She said the family continued to experience sleepless nights following Aliyah’s death: “The pain of losing Aliyah in such a crucial way will forever stay with us. We are still having sleepless nights as her family. We never imagined that’s how she would depart from us, by her own mother’s hand.”
Morrison said Aliyah’s grandmother, who had raised the child from birth, was also struggling with the loss.
“She says she will never be okay again because she’s been the one raising Aliyah from the day she was born. Her bed feels so empty without Aliyah and she still sees her little angel amongst her friends,” Morrison said.
She said seeing children Aliyah’s age was particularly difficult for her grandmother, especially as children of the same age had started school this year.
“This year really breaks her heart seeing children of her age beginning school and her little angel didn’t because Aliyah was ripped away from her in such a crucial way,” she said.
Morrison said the family had struggled to view Aliyah’s body after her death.
“I couldn’t even view my baby’s little body at the undertaker the day she arrived, even on the funeral day no one else did, by the way. We didn’t want people to see the damage Shandre Smit did to her own baby,” she said.
She said the family wanted to remember Aliyah as the happy child she was.
“She wanted to remember her the way she was, with her big smile and laughter. I’m still broken until today. Shandre Smit took away the only granddaughter I had. I’ll never heal from this.”
Aliyah’s father also expressed his grief, saying no sentence could bring his daughter back.
According to Morrison, he said there was not a day that went by without him thinking about his daughter.
“He says no amount of sentencing will ever bring back his daughter and he’ll never heal from this. There’s no day that goes by without thinking about his little princess,” Morrison said.
Morrison also recalled a conversation with her brother in the days following Aliyah’s death, when he questioned whether the tragedy could have been prevented had the child been in the care of other family members.
She said the comment was painful for the family and reflected their ongoing grief and questions surrounding Aliyah’s death.
During Friday’s proceedings, the State opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and concerns that Smith could evade trial.
Defence attorney Mathebula argued for bail, highlighting Smith’s circumstances as a mother of two minor children, including one child who is breastfeeding and remains in her care.
Magistrate Stephanie Botes subsequently granted Smith R2 500 bail, finding that the court was not satisfied she would evade trial and that it could not conclude that it was in the interests of justice to keep her in custody.
The investigations have been finalised and the matter is now being transferred to the High Court.
Smith remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Morrison also thanked SA Outreach and its director, Tootsie Francis, for continuing to support the family.
She said Tootsie had remained in contact with them, regularly checking on the family despite being based in Chatsworth.
“She always called and checked on us. We are grateful for that,” Morrison said.
