Cape Town - Police are probing the death of a 76-year-old woman from Retreat who was found lying on her bedroom floor with bruises on her face on Sunday.
The woman, who was identified as “Ann” by the property owners, had been with the family for years and would at times visit her biological family in Mitchells Plain and Claremont.
The family member who identified himself as Nigel said Ann was a friend of his now wheelchair-bound mother and had been staying with their family for years.
Nigel said they made the tragic discovery when they arrived at the premises on Sunday night and Ann did not respond to their knocks. She had been alone at the property.
“When we got back, the doors were all locked and a window at the back was open, which they seemingly used to gain entry. After we entered, we discovered her lying on the floor with bruises on her face.
“She had a piece of gold on her lower false teeth and these were lying on the floor without the gold, while the other set of teeth was missing. The room was ransacked. However, nothing had been stolen in the house,” he said.
Nigel said they suspected a house robbery, which he said was the second in three years. He said that while the area was quiet, there were a lot of “druggies” roaming the streets.
The Mitchells Plain family could not be reached.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the Steenberg police station registered a murder case for investigation.
“On Sunday at about 8pm, Steenberg police were called to a crime scene in Frans Maroney Street, Retreat, where the body of a 76-year-old female was found by occupants of the house when they returned home.
“According to reports, the victim was found lying on the bedroom floor with bruises on her face,” he said.
Twigg said the unknown suspect/s fled, and had yet to be arrested. He said the motive for the murder had yet to be established.
Lavender Hill CPF chairperson Gavin Walbrugh, who condemned the act, said it was worrying and pathetic that criminals would attack an old and defenceless woman.
“We have a lot of violence in the area with gangsters and shootings, but this is the first time in a while that the area has experienced such brutality.
“More than two years ago we had a similar case where an old woman was killed in daylight at her house in Lakeview. What happened is sad, and it is upsetting to think that a senior citizen died at the hands of a ruthless criminal,” he said.
Walbrugh called on the police to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book.