The body of an 11-year-old Richtersveld Primary student being found in the backyard of someone known to her family is a lesson for police in dealing with missing children. This is according to Atlantis ward councillor Barbara Ras, who aided in the search for the pre-teen who went missing on Sunday.

“The girl’s mother, aunt and other community members visited me in the week to say the girl had gone missing; that they’d gone to the police but so far nothing tangible had been found. After meeting with the local police superintendent a concerted effort was made and the police followed up on all the leads they could find,” Ras explained.

She said there were several clues that led them to finding the child’s body.

“We had to hear what kind of child she was, was she mischievous, was she naughty, did she like to stay out and play games at corner shops? But we heard from her mother as well as her principal that she was a very well-behaved child. So, in my mind at least, there was no way that she could have been playing a prank. For me, if a child isn’t found after a day, there’s bound to be a body that turns up.”

Following a determined search, police and the search party were lead to the backyard of the home of one of the men now in police custody. The man was known to the family, as well as the two others also arrested as suspects. According to Ras, they will appear in court this week. VOC