Search for girl, 11, missing for 2 weeks
THE grandmother of 11-year-old Marceline Spandiel, Cathy Martin, struggled to hold back tears as she spoke about her grandchild who went missing on July 10.
Martin said no one is trying to find her grandchild but her. Marceline who’s been missing for 14 days was last seen with her twin brother at Belhar station, after the two decided to visit their father without telling their gran. Marceline’s twin returned home and told Martin his sister left on the train, accompanied by an unknown woman.
Martin, 73, fears Marceline’s brother is hiding information about his sister’s whereabouts as he couldn’t explain who the women was who accompanied Marceline.
Martin said the two often ran away to visit their father, who left the twins as babies, but they always came back home.
“He (the brother) said she left with a women from Begonia Road but he was telling a lie because he doesn’t know what this women looks like or her name.
“Me and the police alone have gone out to look for her, but he (her brother) shows us the wrong places to look. We think he knows more, there is something he is hiding that he doesn’t say,” said Martin.
Martin said the children who live with her were sent to a child care home in Stellenbosch at the beginning of the year and attended school there. The twins ran away from the home four times before being sent back to live with her while a new home was found for them. The children were out of school for the remainder of last year and stayed at their grandmother’s. During this time they would visit their father who reportedly stays in Parow.
Neighbour, Fia Souls (aka sister Nana) said the situation would be different if child services had found a home for the children as their grandmother had signed over guardianship of the children to Child Services. “Everything they (the twins) do, they do together, they lie together, fight together… I just hope she’s safe,” said Souls.
The family has asked that anyone who identifies Marceline to report her whereabouts to the SAPS. Anyone with information can call Sergeant Dale Franks on 072 145 4163.