A 71-year-old woman, Susana "Sarie" De Villiers, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the premeditated murders of her three great-grandchildren in South Africa. The Worcester Regional Court in the Western Cape delivered the sentence after De Villiers was found guilty of killing eight-year-old Caleb, five-year-old Gradwell, and two-year-old Joshua Booysen on November 20, 2021.

During the trial, it was revealed that De Villiers had asked the children to bid farewell to their great-grandfather, assuring them that no one would ever hurt them again before deliberately driving them over the Bainskloof Pass. The court heard that she collected the children for a day of fun while their caregiver attended a wedding, but instead of returning them home, she drove them on a fatal path.

State Prosecutor Cornelius Prinsloo presented evidence showing that De Villiers drove approximately 23 kilometers in the opposite direction of the children's home, indicating her intent to kill both herself and the children. The prosecution argued that she drove off a cliff, resulting in the vehicle plunging down the mountainside, where it came to rest in a riverbed. While De Villiers survived the crash, the children, who were unrestrained, suffered fatal injuries.

In her plea, De Villiers admitted to the killings but claimed diminished responsibility, a claim the prosecution rejected. The court entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf, while accepting other parts of her statement as formal admissions. A psychiatric evaluation later found her mentally fit and capable of understanding her actions, dismissing any claims of psychosis.

The court heard about the difficult circumstances surrounding the children's lives, including their removal from their parents due to neglect and substance abuse. Just a week before the tragic incident, the children's mother had been arrested on child neglect charges.

In mitigation, De Villiers spoke about her troubled past, including experiences of poverty and previous suicide attempts. She also described the emotional toll of a motor vehicle accident in which her stepdaughter died, claiming it contributed to her depression. However, Prosecutor Prinsloo argued that her personal hardships could not justify the deliberate killing of the children entrusted to her care.

Ultimately, the court sentenced De Villiers to 20 years' imprisonment for each count of murder, with the sentences running concurrently. This resulted in an effective 20-year sentence. Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), praised the prosecuting team for their thorough work, emphasizing the importance of holding those who commit violent crimes accountable, especially when children are involved.