Limpopo police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nneke Ledwaba has expressed shock and sadness at “the continuous incidents affecting minor children in the province”.
This after the Monday night gruesome discovery of the two boys’ lifeless bodies in Ga-Maupa village.
“It is alleged that the deceased went missing while attending a local church at this village at about 8.30 am in the morning.
“According to one of the deceased’s mothers, the victims both aged three and nephews, left home to go to the church and it was only realized in the evening that the children were missing. They started searching for the duo with other family members around the village but they were not found.
“Afterwards, she reported the missing children at Bellview satellite police station and a joint search operation was launched by the SAPS K9 Unit, the local police with the support from the local community.
“Subsequently, late at night on the same day, at about 8.30 pm, the boys were finally found inside the back seat of the wrecked vehicle at one of the residences of the deceased,” Police spokesperson, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, said.
Ngoepe said members of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were called to the scene and that both minors were certified dead at the scene.
Ngoepe said preliminary police investigations indicated that the boys had been playing inside the wrecked vehicle when they were accidentally locked inside it and were unable to get out.
“Unfortunately, there was no immediate assistance to free them and they suddenly suffocated to death due to the heatwave that was experienced during the day.
“The post-mortem examination will still be conducted to determine the exact cause of death,” Ngoepe said, adding that police investigations were continuing.
Ledwaba called on all members of the community to strengthen child safety measures to avoid these type of incidents from occurring.
-The Citizen
