The family of 12-year-old Michaela Williams have questioned the justice system after the killing of the Pelican Park girl.
At the station the man confessed to officers that he had murdered Michaela and led police to the crime scene where he pointed out her body.
“It is believed that the deceased was strangled and thrown with bricks or blocks, and as a result died. The man was then arrested on a charge of kidnapping and murder.”
The man had been arrested in 2005 for the rape and attempted murder of an 8-year old in Tafelsig, Mitchell’s Plain. He was released on parole a year ago and was living with his mother in Crane Street.
Ms Adams said the man was known to the family and was a friend of one of their family members. “My question is how did he lure her away and how did no one see what he was doing? But Michaela knew him so she probably trusted him,” said Ms Adams.
Ms Adams said nothing will bring her daughter back but said the justice system failed their family.
“I don’t know what is going to happen but the justice system must not fail us again. He was out on parole after he raped another child. My child would have still been alive if he was still behind bars. Our lives will never be the same again,” she said.
Michaela’s aunt Erica Williams said the family and community are shocked, hurt and angry by her death.
“If we got hold of him we will kill him because why did he do this to an innocent child? What did she do to kill her in such a cruel way? Her face was smashed in. Why did he do that?” she asked emotionally.
Ms Adams said Michaela was a beautiful person, inside and out.
“She was loving, kind, and she was the most gentle child – no one else would be able to take her place,” she said.
Ms Adams thanked everyone who has helped the family through this difficult time.
The mother of the suspect’s previous victim was at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Monday and said she feels for the family.
“The same thing he did to my child he did to her child. I hope this time he gets a life sentence and doesn’t come out again. The justice system failed us as a community and another family because if he was still in jail then none of this would have happened.”
Child activist Lucinda Evans said: “How many more children will it cost? How many more crime scenes of children raped and murdered will it cost? The question to ask again and again is if a convicted rapist is out on parole do we really believe they are rehabilitated? If a dog bites a child what do we do to the animal? We put him down.
“If a rapist rapes a child he goes to prison – behaves and comes out and rapes again.Why can’t we do the same as we did to the animal that attacked the child?”
Michaela’s funeral service will be held on Saturday January 25.