We are to blame for Zoey, says pastor

Published Jul 3, 2015

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Cape Town - “We are all responsible.”

This was the message at the funeral of murdered two-year-old Zoey Petersen on Thursday.

The little girl had an open coffin, and family and friends wept in shock when they saw her battered face in the tiny pink and white coffin.

The child’s eyelids were torn, her face blue and battered, and there was a large gash on her forehead which had scabbed over.

The rest of her tiny body was covered by the coffin’s lid.

Zoey was allegedly beaten to death with a broom over six hours by her father, Christopher Williams, in their Wendy house home in Halman Walk, Hanover Park, two weeks ago.

Williams went on the run but was caught by cops last week in Vygieskraal informal settlement.

He is charged with murder as well as assaulting Zoey’s mom, Elwina Petersen, 20, on the day of her death.

Elwina previously gave her name as Edwina.

On Thursday, scores of mourners were crammed into Williams’ parent’s home in Hanover Park.

Elwina, who is also four months pregnant, greeted mourners at the Green Pastures Church of the Nazarene, and surprised everyone when she became a born again Christian.

When an unknown pastor asked, “Is there anyone here who wants to give their heart’s to Jesus”, Elwina got up and went to stand beside Zoey’s coffin.

She broke down in tears, but was supported by her grandmother, Anne Maarman, 76.

Pastor Craven Engel, who runs the City’s Ceasefire Project in Manenberg, told mourners everyone was guilty of Zoey’s death.

“Today should not have happened, we are all responsible,” said Engel.

“We’re all guilty. Our children are given to us as gifts, in each child is born a nation.”

One mourner said she was disgusted by the lack of attendance at the service.

“If it was a gangster’s funeral, it would have been a full house,” she said.

Zoey was laid to rest at Klip Road Cemetery in Grassy Park.

Williams will be applying for bail next week.

Daily Voice

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