By Shaun Smillie and Beauregard Tromp
Police are hunting for a man who allegedly drugged, then raped a 15-year-old girl he met through the popular chat forum Mxit.
Dave Coughlan, 27, is being sought in connection with the incident.
A please-call-me SMS eventually led police and family to the girl on a smallholding in Crystal Park, Benoni.
The girl's aunt said she had spotted Coughlan driving at high speed from the smallholding, where the victim was hiding in the bathroom.
On Thursday night, the girl's parents spoke of their ordeal, which began on Sunday morning when they realised their daughter was not in her bedroom and that the front door was open.
The mother, who can't be named to protect her daughter's identity, said on Thursday night the family had immediately contacted the police, and family and friends had begun searching.
Later that day, the girl's mother had received a please-call-me SMS from a strange number.
"I phoned the number and it was my daughter. I asked her 'Are you hurt?'. She said 'I am not, but he has raped me'," said the mother.
The daughter was able to give a description of where she had been taken.
When family and police arrived in the area, they were initially not able to find the smallholding.
Then, on the first smallholding, a white Toyota Tazz came driving along at high speed, said the mother.
"My sister phoned my daughter and asked if there was anyone in the house. When she said no, she asked her to come out the bathroom and come outside. She then asked her to describe what she saw," said the mother.
They then realised they were at the right house and that the suspect had been in the speeding car.
The daughter was taken to a rape and trauma centre, where she was examined and evidence taken, the mother said. She was also given antiretrovirals.
"He told her (on Mxit) that he was having a party. He offered to pick her up," said the mother.
Initially, the victim turned him down. But last Friday, when she logged onto Mxit, she noticed on his profile that he was using an emoticon that showed an angry face.
"He told her that no one had pitched up for the party, but he said she could still come over that Saturday, and he said he could pick her up."
On Saturday night, a man picked up the girl at the corner of the street where she lived, according to the mother. He then took her to the smallholding in Crystal Park.
While standing at his computer, he came up behind her and placed a cloth over her face.
"It had a strong medicinal smell and she passed out," the mother said.
Later, she woke up to find Coughlan on top of her, raping her. He then placed the cloth over her mouth again.
"When she woke up, the sun was up. She listened to figure out if he was around. It was very quiet, and then she grabbed her clothes and cellphone, and locked herself in the bathroom." It was then that she had sent the "please-call-me SMS".
At this point, he returned and asked her to open the door. She refused, and he broke the door down, hit the wall with his fist, left and drove off.
SAPS spokesman Captain Alfred Nakana said the police were looking for Coughlan.