Cape Town - Police have arrested a 36-year-old Steenberg man in connection with the body of a teenage girl which was discovered in Kalk Bay on Sunday.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said the man was taken into custody late on Sunday night. Authorities are looking into the possibility that the body could be linked to the disappearance of 16-year-old Michaela Adriaanse.
The missing girl’s family were on Monday morning clinging to the hope that the body is not that of their daughter.
They were still waiting to identify the body saying there was added stress after police said they could only visit the morgue at 2pm.
Micheala Adriaanse, a Grade 9 pupil at Crystal Secondary School in Hanover Park, went missing on Thursday. She and four friends went on their own excursion to Muizenberg on the day they were supposed to be at their school’s surf walk. Her friends told the family Micheala left with an unidentified male and never returned.
On Sunday, at about 9.40am, a body was found in the mountains above Kalk Bay.
Police spokesman Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana said the body was that of a young female with “extensive injuries”.
The missing girl’s aunt, Cherene Smith, said the family was at the scene when the body was discovered. She said although there were some items found at the scene that belonged to Micheala, the identity of the deceased could not be confirmed.
“We care for and love her so much. We are really hoping and praying that it is not her.”
The family was told to leave the scene on Sunday in case they contaminated any evidence.
Micheala’s mother, Felicia Adriaanse, was unable to talk to the Cape Argus. Last year she had a stroke and is still recovering.
Michaela’s sisters, Jodie, 21, and Nadine, 25, said they were heartbroken and were holding thumbs for their youngest sister’s return. “I saw her the day before she went missing and she was her normal self. She didn’t tell me about their planned trip but she and I are very close,” said Jodie.
She was already missing her sister and “that caring smile Micheala had”.
“I feel heartbroken. I just want to feel her presence and see her smile again. This is the first time I am going so long without seeing her. She is very feisty and cheeky and a person who loves laughing. She would never run away from us like this.” - Additional reporting by Kieran Legg
Cape Argus