Cape Town - The devastated family of a Kuils River mother who had been missing since June 23 learnt through the media that her body had been found.
Chantell Matthyssen was lured to Wellington under the pretence of a job opportunity. Her family was positive that she would be found alive after losing contact with her.
However, they were left shocked on Tuesday when the Cape Times asked them to comment on a statement issued by the police regarding the discovery.
In her statement, police spokesperson Noloyiso Rwexana said Matthyssen’s body had been found covered with branches on a farm near Wellington.
“A 47-year-old suspect was arrested and is being charged for the murder of Matthyssen, who was reported missing from her house in Kuils River. The circumstances are under investigation. A post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” Rwexana said.
Chantell’s mother, Carol Petersen, became suspicious when her daughter did not contact her shortly after arriving in Wellington, where a family friend picked her up.
“We are broken by this news. We were in Wellington on Monday when the suspect was arrested, and we knew that a body had been found.
"However, I was not asked to identify the body on the day - I only did that the following day.”
The police did not respond to questions about why the family had not been informed prior to the issuing of the statement.
“After identifying her body we met with the detective on the case, and shortly after we headed back to Cape Town to share the news with our family.”
Petersen said they would be finalising funeral arrangements for her daughter this week. “I have not yet told her brother that her body has been found.
"It will be difficult sharing the news with her 3-year-old son because until now we have tried to not mention her in a conversation when he is around.
“We have not yet discussed any funeral arrangements because we first want to share the news with our family. It will be done after,” she said.
The suspect, who is known to the family, was expected to appear in court today.
Western Cape Missing Person’s Unit spokesperson Candice Sobotker said: “Wellington police need to be scrutinised for this.
“Some sort of disciplinary action needs to be taken because how do they do a press release without the body being identified? That is not right. We sympathise with the family during this time,” she said.
The discovery came less than a month after 16-year-old Deoline Demas’s body was found at a dumpsite in the same town on June15 after she was reported missing on June 7.
The 21-year-old suspect was arrested on June 18 in connection with her murder and appeared in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Monday.