Quick-thinking char saves kids
2009-12-09 23:14
Pretoria - On Wednesday morning a domestic worker from Pretoria stood with her back to a door to make sure two robbers wouldn't get to a hearing-impaired girl and her sister.
While the criminals were looting the house, Paulinah Makinta told a sobbing Schenelé Henrico, 13, and her sister Izette, 10, to be quiet "because robbers have broken in".
Shortly after Izette phoned her mother, Suzette, with Makinta's cellphone, she saw the door handle being pushed down.
Makinta held on for dear life in an attempt to keep the criminals from entering the room.
Mom raced home
"Izette said there are robbers in the house and I should phone the police," said Suzette at their home in Queenswood on Wednesday.
"I can't express what goes through your mind when you hear those words.
"I raced home and prayed that the Lord would keep them safe."
Makinta had been cleaning the living room at about 10:30 when she saw the automatic gate opening and two men walking into the yard.
She ran to Izette and Schenelé, who is hearing-impaired. The two sisters, who are on holiday, were watching television in the entertainment area. Makinta closed the door of the room and stood against it and told them to be quiet.
In the meantime, the two men had broken through the front door and security gate.
Makinta gave her cellphone to Izette to call her mother.
'My sister kept crying'
According to Makinta, they could hear the men walking from room to room. At one stage they tugged at the door handle, but couldn't open the door.
The men fled with various electronic appliances shortly before the police arrived at the scene.
"We were very scared. My sister wanted to scream, but I stopped her. She just kept crying," said Izette.
"Luckily they didn't find us, otherwise we'd be dead for sure."
Izak Henrico said when he received the call, his only concern was his children "because you don't know what to expect".
"If it hadn't been for Paulinah who protected the children like that, and the police's swift reaction, things might have turned out differently," said Suzette.
Duane Lightfoot, police spokesperson, said a case of burglary is being investigated.