Small Child’s Body Found in Search for Missing Herolds Bay Mom and Children, South Africa
Southern Cape police in South Africa have sadly confirmed that they have recovered the body of a small child in Herolds Bay on the Garden Route, where mother Heidi Scheepers and her two children – Hugo and Cozette – went missing. The body, believed to be that of two-year-old Hugo, was found floating – still […]
Southern Cape police in South Africa have sadly confirmed that they have recovered the body of a small child in Herolds Bay on the Garden Route, where mother Heidi Scheepers and her two children – Hugo and Cozette – went missing.
The body, believed to be that of two-year-old Hugo, was found floating – still fastened in his car seat, according to the George Herald – in a gorge in the Voëlklip area, near to where parts of a vehicle were found.
Earlier today Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie revealed the search operation for the three Scheeper family members, who were last seen on the beach on Tuesday 22 October, had become a recovery operation.
Heidi (35) and her children were reported missing by husband and father, Etienne (36), when they didn’t return home on Tuesday evening after the family had taken a walk together on the beach. Etienne had reportedly walked from the beach to check on one of the properties their management company looks after before driving home, and Heidi and the children were expected to return home in the VW Caravelle (combi).
Etienne said in an interview on Wednesday, reported by Times Live: “I was meant to leave (Wednesday) for Mozambique to see the rest of the family, and my wife, Heidi, and two children, were staying behind.
“We all drove down from the house for a walk on the beach before I had to leave in the morning.
“We had our walk and I then walked to one of the nearby properties we manage to check that it was all locked up. They were going straight home from there.
“I then went back to the shop (Herolds Bay Cafe, which the couple own) and got my car before driving home. I must have arrived home at around 7pm and they were not home. We live so close to the beach that it takes only minutes to get home.
“I got very worried and immediately started phoning all her friends and family, but no-one had seen her. I then went riding around all the streets searching for them and went to the police at about 9pm.”
Captain Pojie said Thursday morning: “We have strong reason to believe that the wreckage that was found at the bottom of the cliff is that of the missing person’s car. No registration number plate has been found and we can therefore not confirm it at this time.”
At that point (before midday) no bodies had yet been found.
Pojie said late on Thursday that “rough sea conditions are hampering recovery efforts”.
At first posts about the missing mom and her children went viral, as locals suspected they had been hijacked, but by Wednesday afternoon the search was centred around a cliff in Voëlklip.
UPDATE Friday morning: The search for Heidi and her daughter is continuing.