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Cape Town - Western Cape police are keeping mum about the murder of a teenage girl whose body was found in Tokai Forest on Monday evening.
Responding to a list of questions from News24, spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut would only say that “the murder is still under investigation and the victim’s name is yet to be released”.
But various reports have named the girl as a 16-year-old pupil at Constantia Waldorf. The police have not named the girl.
#TokaiMoord: Nog blomme word teen hek aangebring. @GeorgeLezer pic.twitter.com/P1HAqnEsXL
— Netwerk24 Berig (@Netwerk24Berig) March 8, 2016
#TokaiMoord: Beeldjie wat teen hek aangebring is. @GeorgeLezer pic.twitter.com/2yWePp8ys8
— Netwerk24 Berig (@Netwerk24Berig) March 8, 2016
She was presumably attacked, assaulted and strangled.
No arrests have been made.
When pressed further, Traut said that detectives were still on scene on Tuesday morning and there was “lots to be done”.
Kirstenhof Crime Watch chairperson Sean Powell told News24 that the police were “throwing everything” at the investigation and their top detectives were working on the case.
#TokaiBody Flowers have been placed at one of the entrances to the Lower Tokai Park this morning. LI pic.twitter.com/LiCQNqRdoC
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) March 8, 2016
The girl’s body was found in the forest, just off the road. She had reportedly gone jogging with her mother, sister and the family dog on Monday afternoon when she decided to go running in a different direction.
When she didn’t return to her mother at about 16:00, the alarm was raised and a search almost immediately begun.
About 80 people responded to the call to find the teenager but at about 16:30 her body was found.
Although Powell stated that there has been an increase in muggings and assaults in the area surrounding the forest, he said there was too much “wild speculation” around the teenager’s death.
Neither Powell nor the police’s Traut would state what possible motives they were considering.
“The less put out [in the media], the better. This is a very traumatic situation,” he said.
