The hartseer father of a 15-year-old boy says he had the sad task of closing his son’s eyes for the last time after the teen drowned.
The family of Dimitri Ricardo Cloete was left in shock when they were called to the Botfontein dam in Brackenfell on Saturday afternoon, where the teen and his friends had been swimming.
Dad Dimitri, 63, says it was heartbreaking having to identify his son’s body.
“He was named after me, but we called him Cardo,” the father says.
“The children came
running to our home to say something had
happened to Cardo.
“When I got to the dam, the police asked me to identify his body.
“When I opened the body bag, his eyes were wide open, and I had the final task of closing his eyes forever,” says the dad crying.
CALL OUT: Botfontein
He said Cardo was mentally disabled and previously attended the Alta Du Toit Special School in Kuils River, but had been at home for the past two years.
“ Hy was die grapjas van onse familie,” says Dimitri. “I am going to miss my son.”
Mom Katriena Cloete, 49, says she only found out about her son’s death when she arrived home.
“He never strayed far from home. On Saturday he walked a girl past the flats so that she wouldn’t be robbed,” she says.
Police spokesman, Andrè Traut, confirms that a probe is underway: “An inquest case docket has been registered.”
