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Fury over toddler's death
02/08/2006 09:20 - (SA)
Carryn-Ann Nel and Leon-Ben Lamprecht, Die Burger
Cape Town - The Ravensmead community is livid after the naked body of a toddler, who disappeared from her parents' house on Sunday evening, was found between two high concrete walls three houses further down the street.
A piece of clothing covered the half-naked body.
Brigette Cowley, 25, mother of Celine Cowley, 4, a Grade R pupil at Webner pre-primary school in Ravensmead, just shouted "O God", and fell into the arms of a policeman when she received the news.
Cowley, who is eight months pregnant, had shortly before told how she missed her beautiful child.
Avril Rensburg, a police reservist and resident at the house where the body was found, said she had been searching for Celine since Sundy evening.
Neighbour is under suspicion
"We did our best to find the child. This is not right."
She said members of the police earlier tried to gain entrance to the house behind hers, but that owner refused to allow them in.
Bonita Cowley, 18, Celine's aunt, said Celine and her friend, Shané Samson, 7, went to a shop at a house about 100m from their home about 20:00 on Sunday to buy sweets.
"Celine didn't return, only Shané. Shané said Celine had gone to uncle Awie (Rensburg's) house."
Pastor Tom Klein, chairperson of the policing forum, said according to superintendent Andrew Tobias, chief of the detective branch, police had found "something" at the neighbour's house.
"I saw the body. It was an ugly picture."
Family members received counselling on Tuesday.
"Brigette is still very traumatised. We are also worried because she is heavily pregnant," said Klein.
He said the community was "angry, sad and shocked".
Rachel Bantham, a Ravensmead resident and one of the Cowleys' neighbours, said the community should organise a protest march.
"The adults cannot even help themselves, how can a child protect herself?" she said about the murder.
Jacques Swanepoel, council member for the Independent Democrats in the area, expressed his sadness about the incident.
According to captain Randall Stoffels, the house where the body was found was the last place the child had been seen alive.
Tests will be done to establish cause of death and if she was raped.
- Die Burger
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