Local residents and parents have been paying tribute to a life tragically lost yesterday when 16-year-old Constantia Waldorf schoolgirl, Franziska Blöchliger, was murdered in Tokai Lower Forest in Cape Town, South Africa.
And the support of the community for the family was evident today during a radio interview with her father.
The father of a teenage girl who was found dead in Tokai Forest says he can’t believe what happened.
Sixteen-year-old Franziska Blöchliger, a pupil at Constantia Waldorf School, was found late yesterday afternoon after she’d been reported missing earlier that day.
Blöchliger’s father, Florian, posted a message on his Facebook page late yesterday afternoon, pleading for information to help find his daughter.
She was found within two hours after she was reported missing in the forest.
Florian and Franziska’s mother, Shireen, opened up to journalists and recounted the events that led to the discovery of their daughter’s body.
“I received an SMS to say that they had found her. I rushed to Tokai Forest and the ambulance was in front of us. We assumed that everything was okay.”
Her father was overcome with emotion as he spoke about her death.
“My daughter was ripped out of this [world] unexpectedly …. There’s no sense. Crime is coming closer and closer and I never expected it to rip right into his heart, so close.”
Swiss-born Blöchliger said he cannot believe he lost his daughter in the country he has grown to love so much.
“It’s been the most terrible day in my entire life. I’ve came here 20 years ago from Switzerland. This country gave me my fortunes, my love and my two children.”
Blöchliger has asked anyone with information relating to his daughter’s death to come forward.
Locals have been rallying around the family since the horrific incident, with one man – whose own wife was killed eight years ago – phoning in to the radio show to reassure the girl’s father that the police will catch the perpetrator/s.
“People have also been leaving flowers and beautiful, heartfelt messages,” says Cape Town blogger Girl.Unplugged.
“Some are visibly shaken and upset. Others observing a respectful silence,” she says.
Solidarity walk in silence #tokaiforest. Senseless. ..brutal. RIP young one. pic.twitter.com/SJ6ZLTLrlw
— Nicki Hill (@xxxsnix) March 8, 2016
#TokaiTeen I am devastated, tragic murdered running in #tokaiforest my #trailrun playground RIP Franziska pic.twitter.com/vnUfSuCRXR
— Philippa Humphreys (@trailpip) March 8, 2016
