Mom's plea to kidnapper
2005-09-21 22:21
Cape Town - The heartbroken mother of Veronique Solomons has pleaded with her daughter's kidnapper: "If you want money, why don't you call us?"
"I don't know if she has food to eat, or something to sleep on."
Patricia Solomons was speaking after a visit by the Democratic Alliance to their Steenberg home to show support for the worried family.
Patricia and her husband have had blood tests done to show that the burnt body of a young girl found in thick bush at nearby Zeekoevlei is not Veronique.
For a while, the family feared the body might be that of their daughter.
Patricia Solomons sat in her missing seven-year-old daughter's room, tightly clutching her child's favourite doll to her.
"My child is still somewhere out there," she said.
Veronique was last seen leaving Steenberg Primary School about 13:30 on Monday. Only her blue schoolbag has been found - at the front door to their home.
Meanwhile, the death of the young girl found at Zeekoevlei also remains a mystery.
When the DA visited the family to show support, they said they wanted to ensure the police were doing all they could to find Veronique.
DA member Lennit Max said: "We are satisfied with the police and how they are handling the situation."
"But we are concerned about the increase in the number of children who are raped, murdered or who disappear every week."
Max said the DA would ask for an urgent debate in the provincial legislature.
Questions also would be put to various Western Cape MECs about crime statistics relating to children.