Charnelle’s mom shares her grief
SINCE the body of Charmaine McCrawl’s 10-year-old daughter, Charnelle, was found she hasn’t slept a wink.
Charnelle’s body was discovered on the banks of the Vygieskraal River by her grandmother, who then alerted neighbours. They alerted authorities.
Last week, McCrawl said she was finding it difficult to come to terms with losing her only daughter.
“I went to see her body today and that was the hard part. The way she looked… she is not happy. Her mouth was still open and she just didn’t look happy. Her neck was broken and they said she was raped.
“She was supposed to go to school Thursday, but she never made it there. The last time I saw her was when she was getting ready for school.”
She said her daughter attended Primrose Park Primary School, which is a seven-minute walk away from their home.
“My daughter and I had the same face… I still think she is going to come back. She liked looking after the kids outside and taking them to after care. She loved to dance.” McCrawl said police had been at the house yesterday and found blood in her sister’s house, who lives in a Wendy house outside,.
Her sister’s husband and her boyfriend were among those taken in for questioning.
“I am not sure what the story really is and my sister doesn’t know anything, as she was at work, but she said if it is her husband he must rot in jail.” The family hopes to bury Charnelle next week.
Police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said two suspects aged 29 and 32 had been taken in for questioning, “however they are not charged yet.”
Charnelle’s murder brings to 69 the number of children murdered in the Western Cape this year.
Meanwhile, police are still looking for leads after the body of an unidentified woman was found, a day before Charnelle’s was found in Nooiensfontein. Rwexana said no arrests had been made and they have opened a case of murder for investigation.