Cape Town - A Kraaifontein pensioner is appealing for help to bury her 15-year-old grandson whose body was discovered in an open field just outside Scottsdene last Tuesday by passers-by who were drawn to another body that lay burning adjacent to his.
15-year-old Antonio Daniels’ identity was finally confirmed by the police over the weekend after his body was found not far from where he lived.
Antonio’s grandmother, Louise Daniels, said she was left shaken after being asked to identify a burnt body police believed could have been her grandson which turned out not to be. However, a second body in the mortuary turned out to be her grandson.
“Everyone kept saying he was burnt but he wasn’t at all. My baby wasn’t the burnt body they found but his body was lying in the same area; they told me it was just opposite the other body. I went to identify his body today and I was told that he had been knocked with a gun between his eyes and was stoned in some areas but he wasn’t burnt as people believe,” said Daniels.
“Antonio grew up with me, so I’m all he ever had. He didn't deserve to die such a terrible death and I can’t imagine what he must have gone through. All I want right now is to give him a dignified burial but I can’t do that on my own.
“I can’t afford to, so I'm appealing to anyone who can help me to please do so. My pension is all I have and it isn’t enough to cover the costs,” said Daniels.
Daniel's granddaughter, Maurisa Manneville, said: “Things have been hard for us lately. We are mourning but also have to deal with different and new developments all the time while trying to figure out how best we can lay Antonio to rest. We need help; Ma can’t do everything on her own.”
Scottsdene councillor Grant Twigg said while he was aware of the incident, the family had not yet approached him for assistance.
He said: “I am aware of the incident, but the family has not reached out to me for help so I didn’t know that they needed help. It’s an unfortunate situation, so I would advise the grandmother to visit our local municipal offices.”
If you would like to assist Louise Daniels to bury her grandson, please contact her granddaughter Manneville at 073 308 0421 or 074 855 1162.