Tears of disbelief flowed at Grassy Park Police Station on Tuesday as a brave mother handed her 14-year-old son over to police after he was accused of raping two seven-year-old girls.
One of the victims’ mothers, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, says she made the horrific discovery yesterday morning when she found the teen had locked himself and her daughter in the bedroom.
“We live with his family and I never suspected anything like this because he is very quiet and respectful,” the mom says.
“This morning I woke up and she was still sleeping on the couch and he was sleeping on the bed.
“I went outside and when I came back inside, I saw the door was locked.”
She says she heard shuffling and found that the door was jammed as the teen had used the couch to block the doorway and she became suspicious.
“He pushed the couch away and I asked what is going on here, but he didn’t answer me,” says the mom.
“She was upset and refused to speak to me. Later she told me she was sodomised and that is why she was cross.
“I went to the neighbour and it came out that this was not the first time and the neighbour’s daughter who is also seven years old was also a victim.”
The two mothers informed the boy’s mom, who questioned him and after he admitted to the rapes, she accompanied the victims and their families to the police station where she handed her son over to cops.
The woman could be seen crying inconsolably at the station.
The boy’s 21-year-old sister says the incident has shattered them all.
“We are all in shock because we had no idea this was happening.
“He is very quiet and to himself, but my mother and the family decided that because he admitted to it, we must hand him over to the police.
“We are hoping they can help us find out why he did this,” she says.
Grassy Park station commander Colonel Dawood Laing confirms that the 14-year-old will face two counts of rape at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.
“The investigation into the case is ongoing and he will appear in the juvenile court,” he says.
“I applaud the suspect’s mother for coming to hand him over and not hiding what happened.”
monique.duval@inl.co.za