Apology regarding accident report
The Randburg Sun and Northcliff Melville Times newspapers and their websites recently reported on an accident which took place on 24 April on Conrad Drive, Blairgowrie, under the headline Woman crashes into tree, dies.
Follow-up stories under the headlines – Unnatural death on public road; Case Opened – and, under the photo of the car, a caption reading A case of culpable homicide has been opened, were published.
The family of the deceased were deeply aggrieved by our reports and inter alia raised the following objections: “As all deaths which are accidental are termed unnatural – and in all cases where there is an accidental death like this, it is standard procedure for a case of culpable homicide to be opened – the follow-up stories published by Caxton newspapers were unnecessary and created the impression that the accident happened in suspect circumstances.”
Caxton concedes that the way the story was handled did in effect blow an elderly mother’s death under tragic circumstances, out of proportion and apologises for, and deeply regrets the additional stress this has caused her bereaved family.
