Cape Town - An Ottery family of a four-year-old girl, who died when she was struck by a bullet that went through the family’s wendy house, is struggling to make sense of her death.
Scarlett Cottle, who was hit in the head and neck, was apparently in bed looking at a book, when the shots rang outside her home. She was admitted to hospital, where she later died.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut said Cottle was shot and wounded in a wendy house, on the corners of Bruce and Edward Streets, Woodgate Court, Ottery, during a possible gang shootout.
Traut said, during the same incident, a 48-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound and was admitted to hospital too.
“Three suspects fled the scene and are being sought. It is believed that rival gangs shot at each other and that the girl was caught in the crossfire,” said Traut.
He said the police in Grassy Park are investigating the incident and kindly requested the assistance of the public to track down those ruthless killers, so that they could be brought to book.
Scarlett’s distraught mother Monique Cottle, 25, said there were various people shooting outside, and she did not even know which side the bullets came from.
“At the time of the shooting, I was outside. I ran inside the house when I heard gunshots and people started running. When I entered the house, there was my little girl in a pool of blood,” said Monique Cottle.
When the Cape Argus visited the family on Thursday, they were busy trying to scrub the little girl's blood off the mattress of the bed, where she was killed.
Monique’s partner, Lindsay Cottle, 31, said their child was bright, loved to read, and was loved by almost everyone in the area.
“She was a sweet child,” she said.
Their neighbour, Joan Ludick, 68, said their area was full of gangsterism that the police were not able to solve.
“The police ride their vans here everyday, without assisting with the gang problem,” said Ludick.
Provincial Children's Commissioner Christina Nomdo said violence against children in the country was a real and enduring concern.
“We need to build more protective systems around children, in order to prevent them from being victims of violence,” said Nomdo.
She said the government and communities must work together to protect children. The commissioner for children promotes household and community level prevention measures to keep children safe.
Anyone with information that could assist in the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stop on 0860010111 or through the MySAPSApp.