Johannesburg – There were inaccuracies in the version of events given by the mother of the two toddlers found dead in an open field in Katlehong, east of Johannesburg on Wednesday, Gauteng police said.

“Preliminary investigations have proved there might be discrepancies in the mother’s version of the events,” acting provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba told reporters in Johannesburg.

The two girls, aged one and three, were found dead in a field near Zonkizizwe, Katlehong on Wednesday morning by a resident.

Their 26-year-old mother, who is a Mozambican national, was found with them and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Mothiba said the mother told police she and her husband had an argument after she found him in bed with another woman.

Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the mother alleged that she and her children were from Witbank and her husband had dropped them off in the field.

“She did not know where they were.

“She further alleged that her husband left them with a cold drink which they drank last night. When she woke up this morning two of her children were already dead,” he said.

It was suspected that the toddlers were poisoned.

The exact cause of death would be known once a post mortem had been done, said Dlamini.

– SAPA