Four days after their child’s body was discovered by a search team, the parents of Courtney Pieters visited the site where she was dumped.
The body of three-year-old Courtney, who was still being breastfed by mother Juanita Pieters, was found dumped in a field in Bofors Circle, Epping on Saturday afternoon.
The 40-year-old man arrested, and charged for Courtney’s murder is expected to appear in the Goodwood Magistrate’s Court this morning. Yesterday he made a brief appearance in court.
Pieters family spokesperson Roegshanda Pascoe said the parents, after requesting to visit the site, were traumatised. She said visiting the site had the parents in tears.
“It seems that somehow they are starting the acceptance process but it is still very emotional for them. There is a lot of anger because of where she was dumped almost as if she was nothing,” Pascoe says.
She said Pieters had only started eating normally again after the discovery of Courtney’s body.
“She wasn’t eating properly and after being hospitalised on Monday night, she is doing a bit better. However, both parents are still struggling with getting sleep.”
A memorial will be held tomorrow evening at the Elsies River Civic Centre, Halt Road at 6.30pm where a petition will also do the rounds calling for no bail for the accused.
Former deputy chairperson of the Elsies River Community Police Forum Imraahn Mukaddam resigned from his position yesterday morning, saying he “feels like we let Courtney down”.
“I am both stressed and relieved following my resignation. I feel like more could have been done and being a part of the CPF structure, I felt muzzled.
‘‘I believe police and the CPF dropped the ball with how this investigation was conducted,” Mukaddam said.
“I cannot live with my conscience right now knowing that we failed Courtney and her family.”