Overwhelming feelings of fear and anxiety hit the parents of a missing four-year-old girl hard when they went to view the mutilated body of a child found in a field in Wattville on October 11 to determine whether it was their little girl.
According to police, the parents believe it was not the body of their daughter. However, their DNA samples were taken at the Actonville Police Station on October 12.
Bokgabo Poo went missing in the area on October 10 while playing with a friend in Masoleng Park.
The grisly discovery of a mutilated body in a field in Wattville a day later came after residents noticed dogs packing around something on the ground.
The City Times was on the scene and spoke to provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo.
He explained that the police first received a call from residents about a human leg found in the yard of a house in Wattville.
The homeowner came across the leg, which was buried, while sweeping her yard.
“Upon arrival, police found the leg buried in her yard. While searching the yard, officers were then alerted by residents to the mutilated body of a child in a nearby field,” said Masondo.
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Police believe that the leg could be linked to the body found in the field, but this is yet to be confirmed.
Masondo said due to the state of the body they were not able to determine the sex of the child.
CCTV
When Bokgabo went missing, she was wearing orange shorts, a purple vest with a ‘Sophia’ cartoon print and red and white flip-flops.
According to the Actonville station commander, Lieutenant Colonel Louis Maluleke, a missing persons case has been opened and investigations are continuing.
“It is reported that Bokgabo played with a neighbour’s child at the park when they were approached by a man who sent the friend to the shop.
“When the five-year-old friend came back, Bokgabo and the man were not there. The friend continued playing in the park until later when Bokgabo’s grandmother started enquiring about her whereabouts,” said Maluleke.
CCTV footage of Bokgabo walking in the street with a man has been making the rounds on social media. Maluleke said police are searching for this man for questioning.
Closure
The child’s father, Irvin Ndlovu, told the City Times that Bokgabo’s mother and grandmother phoned him at around 18:00 on October 10 to tell him that the child was nowhere to be found.
“I went straight to their home and mobilised the community to help us search for her. Unfortunately, we didn’t find her. The following day, the police called us to view the body of a child found in a field.
“I was overwhelmed with so many feelings. I knew I had to be brave and see if it was her so that I can have closure.
“The body was in a bad state and quite unrecognisable, but I managed to see that it was the body of a girl.”
“We are still hopeful that Bokgabo will be found alive,” said Ndlovu.
Two separate cases of murder and a missing person have been opened at Actonville SAPS.
Anyone with information that could assist police with the investigation is urged to visit their nearest police station or contact 08600 10111.
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