Cape Town - A three-year-old Durbanville twin who died in hospital after reportedly falling on her bicycle brake lever was actually shot in the heart with a pellet gun.
Following this shocking discovery during the autopsy of the toddler at Tygerberg Mortuary, Durbanville detectives set about finding the pellet gun used in the shooting as well as the circumstances that led to its firing.
Reliable sources who would not be named indicated that all avenues of investigation led back to the child’s Durbanville home. With the help of the family they then uncovered the shocking truth.
The identity of the alleged shooter is known to the Weekend Argus, but cannot be named as the suspect is a minor who has not yet been charged.
Sources further revealed that a family member provided detectives with a plausible explanation of the shooting as well as a drawing of the shooting scene.
It’s understood that the suspect knew how to load and fire the pellet gun and had used it in bird hunts with another family member.
Further questioning of the suspect, expected to take place next week, will now be conducted with the assistance of a child social worker.
The version of the shooting supplied to detectives satisfied the state pathologist in the case, sources said, as well as ballistic experts who investigated the crime scene.
The fatal pellet was not recovered during the autopsy as it had been sucked out of child’s heart during doctors’ frantic attempts to save her life at Mediclinic Durbanville hospital last Sunday.
The child was rushed to hospital two weekends ago by her mother.
She informed doctors she had found her daughter slumped over her bicycle handlebars with a small puncture wound to her chest that she thought had been made by the brake lever.
The child had been riding her bike inside the house with her twin, who was on roller skates, when the accident occurred.
Her twin’s screams alerted her mother who came running to the child’s aid.
But at her post-mortem a few days later the pathologist was puzzled by the heart wound that she requested detectives to deliver her bicycle to the mortuary for inspection.
After determining that the brake lever could not have killed her, detectives were directed to return to her home to look for a pellet gun which they found lying on a table.
It’s understood that the Durbanville detectives on the case have been guided in their investigation by senior officers from the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.
The shooting prompted a Facebook post this week from one of the doctors involved in trying to save the child’s life.
“Air rifles are deadly weapons that should be regulated and controlled,” wrote paediatrician Dr Willem Smit.
“Air rifles are used in sport for target shooting and, sadly, also to hunt birds and small animals.
“Some of these air rifles are so powerful that the pellet travels at speeds of up to 350 meters per second.
“Adults should never allow children to use these weapons unsupervised. These weapons should never be left unattended anywhere.
“They should never be left loaded or with a magazine full of pellets in case someone accidentally loads the rifle who is not equipped or responsible enough to use these weapons.
“These weapons should never be discharged indoors or amongst people or if you cannot clearly see what’s behind the target that you are shooting at.
“An air rifle discharged at close range can kill a child instantly. It will leave a small penetrating wound where it enters and can cause severe damage to internal organs.
“Where it is highly unlikely that a bicycle’s break lever or handle bar will cause a penetrating wound to the chest of a child resulting in their death, it is on the other hand very likely that an air rifle shot at close range to the chest of a child or adult for that matter would lead to their death if it hits a big vein or artery or penetrates the lungs and heart.”
Approached for comment on the death, the family lawyer declined, saying the family were too traumatised to talk to the media.
Police spokesman Andre Traut said he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.