UFS student, 18, found dead in her residence room
Shakira van Staden, a BA student from De Aar in the Northern Cape, was found at around 12.30pm in her room on Sunday.
Main building of the University of the Free State, UFS. Picture: Wikimedia Commons
Free State police have opened an inquest docket after an 18-year-old University of the Free State (UFS) student was found dead in her room on Sunday.
Shakira van Staden, a BA student from De Aar in the Northern Cape, was found around 12:30 in her room at a residence on Arndt Street in Bloemfontein.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that her flat mate had left on Saturday night to visit a friend and returned back on Sunday to discover her lifeless body, police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said.
“The deceased had bruises on her neck and there was a black cloth [doek] hanging on the top handle of a wardrobe. Both roommates are from De Aar,” Makhele added.
The university’s executive management extended its condolences on behalf of the institution to Van Staden’s family and friends, wishing them strength during this difficult time.
“The university’s student counselling and development department will provide the necessary counselling and support to her family and friends,” UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader said.
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