Cold weather kills boys
2003-10-21 21:59
Lieze du Preez
Zeerust - The bodies of three boys from the Motswedi settlement outside Zeerust were found in the veld after an extensive search for them was launched on Sunday.
It seems that the boys, aged between 6 and 12, died from exposure in the recent cold and rain.
The children apparently went searching for "mogorwagorwane", a wild fruit, about 13:00 on Sunday. When they had not returned by sunset, their families alerted police.
Police units and local residents started the search the same day. A police helicopter was brought in to assist in the search on Tuesday.
The body of the first boy was found at 13:00 on Tuesday. His two friends were later found about 2km away.
"It seems as if the children got lost in the bad weather. They could have died of exposure to the cold," Inspector Phoebo Moseki, police spokesperson, said.
- Beeld