GEORGE NEWS - A homeless couple is scheduled to appear in the George Magistrate’s Court today to face a charge of kidnapping.
The couple’s 13-year-old son, who was removed from their care and placed in a place of safety last year, disappeared from school on Monday 19 September.
According to Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie, swift response by specialist detectives of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) based in George, in collaboration with the Herold CPF, local neighbourhood watches and farmers in the Herold area led to the parents’ arrest.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the child disappeared from the school he attends on Monday 19 September. George FCS was informed of the child’s disappearance and immediately commenced with a search in collaboration with various role players who had meanwhile been mobilized," he said.
"The community members also availed their private drones to assist after members received a tip-off that the trio (father, mother and missing boy) were spotted in the Outeniqua Mountains near the old Montagu Pass on Wednesday 21 September,” said Pojie.
The search was expanded on foot, using resources at their disposal, to where the trio were last seen. They eventually traced them late that night.
“The couple, 36 and 46 years old, were arrested and the 13-year-old boy was returned to the place of safety where he was initially placed by the court on 30 December 2021,” said Pojie.
Garden Route District Commissioner Maj-Gen Norman Modishana has praised the forces and community members for their persistance and for availing their resources such as the drones that helped to locate the couple and the child.
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