A body of young child was found a shallow grave in Epping on Saturday, suspected to be that of three year old Courtney Pieters. The toddler went missing last Thursday while playing with friends outside her home in Elsies River.
Police will need to conduct forensic tests to confirm the identity, however it’s believed relatives recognized the clothes on the body.
The family are in a state of shock and are currently receiving trauma counselling. The mood in Elsies River is somber this evening as community members gather in an outpouring grief. Residents held a candle-light vigil outside the Pieters’ home as well as the local police station.
It’s been a horrific two weeks for the community, as residents continue to reel after a gruesome mass shooting which killed three people. VOC
