Family and friends of a Mdantsane teenage girl found dead in her boyfriend’s house with head injuries and bruises on her lungs and womb are still looking for answers as to what killed her.
Police spokesman Nkosikho Mzuku had not responded to e-mailed questions at the time of writing. But Awonke Diko’s family and friends said they were unaware of anyone arrested in connection with her death.
The 19-year-old left home on Sunday June 25 saying she was going to a friend’s birthday party not far from her NU16 home.
Her mother, Nomalungelo Diko, told the Dispatch she was woken early the next morning by two unknown women who told her to rush to NU14 as her daughter was ill.
“I did not know what could have made her sick but I did not think twice. I got up and left in my pyjamas.
“My driver and I drove behind the women. I believe one of them is the mother of my daughter’s boyfriend. We drove to a house in NU14 and when we got there, they did not get out of the car.
“When I walked up to them they said I should go get my daughter from inside.
“When I got inside the house a man pointed to a bed and said I should take her. She was wrapped in blankets. When I called her, she did not respond.
“I called again, she did not respond,” she recalled.
“The man asked if I hadn’t heard. I responded ‘heard what?’ He said my daughter was dead.”
Puzzled and confused, she left the house and told her driver to take her to family members and business partners close to her.
On their return, police and health officials were already at the scene. Awonke’s body was taken from the NU14 house believed to be her boyfriend’s home for a postmortem examination.
Diko said she received the postmortem results yesterday.
“The results revealed that Awonke sustained head injuries, and bruises on her lungs and womb,” she said.
Diko was speaking ahead of her daughter’s memorial service at the NU15 Community Hall yesterday. At the service, Awonke’s friends said they were saddened by her sudden death.
Lutho Matya, 21, said she was in denial as she was with Awonke a few hours before her death.
“We went partying together as friends at a local pub and grill that night and we were all happy having a good time.
“She left with her boyfriend and we did not ask where they were going,” said Matya.
Another friend, Simamkele Nkolongo, 27, described Awonke as a people’s person.
“We are all confused and want police to investigate what exactly happened to Awonke. We need answers,” said Nkolongo. — sisiphoz@dispatch.co.za
Mystery surrounds NU16 teen’s death
Police spokesman Nkosikho Mzuku had not responded to e-mailed questions at the time of writing. But Awonke Diko’s family and friends said they were unaware of anyone arrested in connection with her death.
The 19-year-old left home on Sunday June 25 saying she was going to a friend’s birthday party not far from her NU16 home.
Her mother, Nomalungelo Diko, told the Dispatch she was woken early the next morning by two unknown women who told her to rush to NU14 as her daughter was ill.
“I did not know what could have made her sick but I did not think twice. I got up and left in my pyjamas.
“My driver and I drove behind the women. I believe one of them is the mother of my daughter’s boyfriend. We drove to a house in NU14 and when we got there, they did not get out of the car.
“When I walked up to them they said I should go get my daughter from inside.
“When I got inside the house a man pointed to a bed and said I should take her. She was wrapped in blankets. When I called her, she did not respond.
“I called again, she did not respond,” she recalled.
“The man asked if I hadn’t heard. I responded ‘heard what?’ He said my daughter was dead.”
Puzzled and confused, she left the house and told her driver to take her to family members and business partners close to her.
On their return, police and health officials were already at the scene. Awonke’s body was taken from the NU14 house believed to be her boyfriend’s home for a postmortem examination.
Diko said she received the postmortem results yesterday.
“The results revealed that Awonke sustained head injuries, and bruises on her lungs and womb,” she said.
Diko was speaking ahead of her daughter’s memorial service at the NU15 Community Hall yesterday. At the service, Awonke’s friends said they were saddened by her sudden death.
Lutho Matya, 21, said she was in denial as she was with Awonke a few hours before her death.
“We went partying together as friends at a local pub and grill that night and we were all happy having a good time.
“She left with her boyfriend and we did not ask where they were going,” said Matya.
Another friend, Simamkele Nkolongo, 27, described Awonke as a people’s person.
“We are all confused and want police to investigate what exactly happened to Awonke. We need answers,” said Nkolongo. — sisiphoz@dispatch.co.za
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