Family believes baby ‘died of grief’ two months after mom was murdered
|Published
The family of Felicity Cilliers, 28, who was raped, strangled and left for dead in 2007, believes her 14-month old baby died of grief. File picture: Pexels The family of Felicity Cilliers, 28, who was raped, strangled and left for dead in 2007, believes her 14-month old baby died of grief. File picture: Pexels
Cape Town - The family of Felicity Cilliers, 28, who was raped, strangled and left for dead in 2007, believes her 14-month old baby, who died two months after the incident, died of grief.
This information is contained in a report compiled by probation officer and social worker Bridget Buys in respect of convicted murderer Andrew Jordaan. She read out a 23-page report that was handed over in the Western Cape High Court on Monday. The accused was arrested in Ladysmith last year.
In her report, Buys said: “The victim’s father, Johannes Cilliers, during consultation was observed to be suffering immense pain because of the death of his daughter. He is still crying over her death.
The fact that the murder was unsolved for almost 12 years prolonged closure and kept his emotional pain alive.
“Her three children were 9 years, 13 years and 14 months old at the time. The baby died on October 19, 2007, after being admitted to hospital for three days for gastroenteritis.
“The family reported that the baby was a healthy child but believed that he died of grief. The victim’s siblings never spoke about their feelings and dropped out of school.”
Buys told the court that the father wanted the accused to suffer the same way that his family had suffered, and expected nothing less than two life sentences for the rape and murder.
Asked if the accused showed any remorse, she said: “I wont say there is no remorse, but I’m willing to say that if someone hasn’t admitted to the offence then remorse is absent. The accused did not plead guilty to the charges and therefore a lack of remorse exists.”
Buys further told the court that the findings of psychological treatment indicated that childhood trauma had spilled over into his adulthood.
The report also indicated that the accused’s aggressive behaviour was usually sparked by the consumption of alcohol.
But sentencing was postponed October 7 to allow the accused to receive counselling at Valkenberg Hospital for stress treatment and suicidal tendencies.
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