Mystery of child’s body at cemetery
PROBE: Gravediggers found child’s body buried in shallow grave at Klip Road Cemetery PROBE: Gravediggers found child’s body buried in shallow grave at Klip Road Cemetery
Police are trying to determine the identity and cause of death of a child, whose bones were found by gravediggers at Klip Road Cemetery.
Cops and pathologists were called to the scene at the Grassy Park cemetery on Tuesday afternoon after diggers came across the skeletal remains buried in a shallow grave, at an angle opposite to adjacent graves.
Sources reveal the skeleton is believed to be that of a child of about four years old.
According to the source, there was no serial number at the grave, so it could not be linked to a particular plot. This has yet to be confirmed by authorities.
The police source says the bones were discovered “very close to the surface, which is very unusual”.
“It is definitely the remains of a child, and was found while gravediggers were digging a fresh grave in the Muslim section. The pathologists were called to the scene. The bones were not even far from the surface and when the planning or paperwork was checked, there was no indication that there had to be a grave on that spot.
‘NO RECORD’: There was no serial number linked to grave
“The bones were not in a coffin, but wrapped in cloth. All the graves are identified by codes or numbers,” says the source.
Previously, people have complained to the Daily Voice that grave sites at the Klip Road Cemetery were too close to each other.
The Daily Voice reported in 2017 that diggers admitted they dug the graves smaller than the specified size of 1.4m deep.
The City said diggers were contracted to prepare the graves and were instructed to dig at least 1.4m deep, which would accommodate a normal sized coffin, and which would allow for at least a metre of soil to cover it.
Police spokesperson, Captain FC van Wyk, says forensic tests will determine how the child died and whose remains it is.
“This office can confirm an inquest case docket was opened after the skeletal remains of a child was found in the graveyard of the Klip Road Cemetery.
“A post-mortem will be conducted to determine race, gender and cause of death.”