PORT ELIZABETH - FAMILY BELIEVE DECOMPOSED CHILD'S BODY IS MISSING 8 YEAR OLD RECOLIN WITBOOI

The family of a missing Port Elizabeth boy is convinced that the decomposed body of a child found on Sunday morning is that of their young child.

Eight-year-old Recolin Keagan Witbooi, from Barcelona in Gelvandale, was last seen on Saturday July 6 at 13:30. He and some friends had been playing in Uranus Street when he went missing.

An inquest docket has been opened by police after a resident noticed a skull while walking in the field. The man then found a human body and called the police, News24 previously reported.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the identity of the child could not be determined due to the advanced state of decomposition.

Witbooi's father Clive Domingo, however, told News24 on Monday that the family was convinced that, because the skeleton was found close to where the boy went missing, it was his son's remains.

He added that clothes matching those Witbooi was wearing at the time of his disappearance were also identified in the field.

The distraught father went to the scene on Sunday and Monday.

"We are convinced that it is Recolin. There [are] bones there. We are still waiting for the police for more information," Domingo said.

He described the experience as "traumatic", adding that everyone in the family was in shock following the discovery of the body.

"Everybody is in tears here. We are all stressed out, because we also saw clothes that he was wearing when he went missing," he said.

Speculations

Domingo said residents were still gathered at the field at midday on Monday.

While the family is convinced that the remains are that of their beloved son, police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said it was difficult to confirm it at this stage and that they would wait on DNA and post-mortem results before making a proclamation.

"There is speculation that it is him (Witbooi), but we cannot confirm until we have done a DNA analysis.

"We can't even tell whether the skeleton is of a boy or girl due to the state of decomposition," Naidu said.

She said until DNA evidence and post-mortem results are returned, the police could not be certain that the body was that of Witbooi's.

Naidu said police would continue investigating the inquest docket and would give updates in due course.

via - NEWS24