Two die in poison scare

2003-02-04 13:23

Pietermaritzburg - A homestead near Escourt in KwaZulu-Natal has been quarantined after two teenaged girls were found dead and a forensics expert is in hospital after he examined a number of dead animals there.

Senior Superintendent Henry Budhram said on Tuesday that the two sisters, aged 12 and 13, were found dead at the Mhlongo homestead in Ntabamhlope near Estcourt about 10:00 on Monday.

Police also discovered the bodies of 12 sheep, three goats and a dog nearby.

A forensics specialist, Inspector Terance Singh, was brought from Ladysmith to investigate later in the day.

While Singh was driving back to Ladysmith, he began to feel dizzy and had to stop the car.

He was found in a semi-paralysed condition at the side of the road by a colleague. He was taken first to Estcourt hospital and later airlifted to St Anne's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg where he was still in a critical condition on Tuesday.

Forensic experts from Pretoria were at the homestead conducting an intensive investigation on Tuesday. Budhram said nobody was being allowed to enter the affected area.

- SAPA