Pictures: Leon Knipe and supplied
FEARS have arisen that the identity of a charred body found in Ottery could be missing teen Erin Adams.
Just days after cops were called to the horror scene in De Wet Road, the mother of the 18-year-old girl has come forward to explain that her daughter is missing.
The discovery of the charred remains of an unknown person sent tongues wagging on Friday as residents speculated about what led up to the murder.
At the time, police explained that the body was burnt beyond recognition and there was no indication of who it may be or what led up to the incident.
It is understood that a post-mortem would need to be conducted to ascertain the gender and the cause of death of the remains.
Erin's worried mother, Judy, told the Daily Voice that she reported to Grassy Park SAPS on Sunday night amid speculation that it was her daughter's body.
The teen was first reported missing in July 2023. At the time her mother explained after months of scouring mortuaries, hospitals, shelters amid investigating claims that Erin had been sold into prostitution, the desperate woman approached the Daily Voice for help. Within days of sharing her story, a reader found Erin.
Speaking to the Voice on Monday, the Lotus River mom says: “Erin goes missing but always comes back home.
“She normally goes to Phumlani to her friends but we don't know about Ottery. She has been gone since last Wednesday and I went to the police station to enquire because I was told that the body they found was a female."
She says after reporting her daughter missing police informed her that DNA tests would now have to be done to see if the body was found was Erin.
The worried mom says: “In my heart, I can’t say I know it’s her. But I do have my fears.
“I don’t know if it’s my child and if it’s not, I ask her to please come home. These are the dangers of what can happen when she leaves home.
“I am waiting for them to tell me when we will do the DNA tests. But we are praying it is not her.”