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Mom kills self, child
28/08/2006 09:07 - (SA)
Marius Louw, Die Burger
Cape Town - The agricultural community of the small town Klapmuts was shocked after a young woman with her toddler in her arms sat down
in front of an oncoming train on Saturday afternoon.
"Just look at what trouble I'm causing here today", Johanna Middelpos,
23, apparently told a stranger as she passed him on her way to the railway
tracks.
Middelpos and her child, Lee-Anne, who would have turned two at the end of
October, died on impact when the train hit them shortly after 14:00 between
Muldersvlei and Klapmuts stations.
Middelpos's mother, Lea Dramat, 56, from Remmit Street, said they didn't
expect the suicide.
She was not sober
"She left with the child in her arms. The next moment we heard the train's
whistle."
She said her daughter had been drinking that day and was not sober.
"She had an argument with a young man while they were sitting outside
playing dominoes. They probably didn't want to give her more alcohol."
Apparently Middelpos threatened to break a beer bottle. "I hit her. She then
picked up Lee-Anne and walked out of the house," said Dramat.
She said the blow could not have been bad enough to prompt her daughter to commit suicide.
Her daughter apparently threatened to jump off a bridge before. "She said she didn't want to live anymore. But why did she have to include the child in her plans?" she said.
Middelpos's stepfather, Anthony Dramat, 52, sat staring in front of him. "This is very difficult for us," he said. "Especially for my wife."
According to neighbours they had raised the little girl.
Jennifer Fisher, a neighbour, said Middelpos was unemployed. She used to
work in the vineyards on the farm Fairview.
According to a friend, Charmaine Jonkers, Middelpos was a friendly girl who
had a lot of friends.
"We are surprised. Nobody expected this."
A neighbour, who didn't to be identified, said Middelpos was difficult when
she had been drinking. "There was trouble every weekend. They all drink over
weekends. And when Johanna didn't have her way, there was trouble."
Detectives were at the scene on Sunday morning. According to a police
statement they were investigating the case.
- Die Burger
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