Teenager kills Mother,GrandMa, Brother & Sister with Axe - said to be a Satanist

An East Rand (South Africa) teenager spent the weekend in police custody after allegedly killing four of his family members with an axe.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Friday by outraged community members at the Etwatwa informal settlement just hours after the murders.

The boy allegedly butchered his mother, grandmother, seven-year-old brother and three-month-old sister with an axe while they were asleep in their shack.

Officials said two children aged eight and nine managed to escape the attack and alerted neighbours.

Community members accused the teen of sacrificing his family in an apparent satanic ritual.

Neighbour Andries Dlamini said the community spared the teen's life in a bid to get answers.

"The community thought of killing him, but did not do so as we could have lost information and the full story of what happened," Dlamini said.

He claimed the teenager was involved in Satanism.

"This guy said he is a Satanist. If he kills, he is sacrificing his family for the boss."

Dlamini added that the teenager believed a "higher force" told him to kill his family.

"He said it came from his mind and told him to kill them because of the full moon."

Police were still searching for the axe which was apparently used to kill the teen’s family.

Meanwhile, the uncle of the teen believed that the minor might have been motivated by drugs.

The boy's uncle said he was shocked when he heard the news.

"I cannot say what kind of child he was. Because he smoked things like dagga. It was harmful drugs," said the uncle.

The teenager was expected to appear in court on Monday. http://news.iafrica.com/sa/861429.html