The body of missing 3-year-old Courtney Pieters was discovered in Epping at 1.30pm today, not far from her home in Elsies River.
The child disappeared nine days ago, after her mother Juanita Pieters set off for work, leaving her daughter with her seven-year-old brother at their Salberau home.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk was at the scene where the body was found dumped on an open field, near Truworths in Epping 2.
"Police and community search party stumbled upon body of a child in Bofors Circle, Epping Industria," he said.
"As part of an ongoing search for a missing three-year-old girl from Elsies River, police and community volunteers discovered a child's body in Bofors Circle in Epping 2 this afternoon.
"SAPS Crime scene experts and a forensic pathologist were called to the scene."
While police say the body has been taken to the mortuary where further tests will be conducted to determine if it is that of missing Courtney, the Daily Voice has learned that the parents have positively identified the body.
"The provincial FCS continue with the investigation. Anyone with any information about this incident is kindly requested to contact police," adds FC van Wyk.