Man held for girl's rape, murder
2008-07-30 11:31
Cape Town - A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Delft, Western Cape police said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Captain Joe Wilson said the girl's mother sent her to a shop in Leiden on Tuesday, but she never returned home. The family reported the matter at a local police station. While there local residents came and reported seeing an injured child.
The girl was found lying next to Silver Sands Road in Delft. She had visible head injuries and was taken to Red Cross hospital where she died.
"Preliminary investigation around the crime scene led to the discovery of the stuff she was sent to purchase and furthermore, not far from the child, a concrete brick with blood stains was also found," Wilson said.
Detectives arrested a 23-year-old man in Leiden an hour later.
"It had been confirmed that the child was sexually assaulted," he said.
The man was due to appear in Bellville Magistrate's Court on Friday to face abduction, rape and murder charges.
Wilson declined to elaborate on how the man was linked to the murder.
- SAPA