According to the principal of Edenhoogte Primary School, Dikae Beck, the alleged assailant - a former learner - is making his second appearance at the Edenburg Magistrate’s Court today after he allegedly stabbed Karen Miranda Coetzee in her home. 

Police spokesperson, Loraine Earle, says the 15-year-old boy is facing charges of attempted murder, two counts of kidnapping, possession of a dangerous weapon, and malicious damage to property. 

Earle says the victim, Karen Miranda Coetzee, was inside her residence with her child and her friend on the 27th of October when the suspect fiddled with her parked car causing the car alarm to go off at around 17:30. The assailant proceeded to enter the house while everyone was preoccupied with the alarm. After locking the victim’s child and her friend in a room, he launched his attack on Coetzee, stabbing her multiple times in the face, neck and hands using a knife. He fled the scene thereafter. Earle says police arrested the assailant within 20 minutes of the incident and he has since been kept in a place of safety.

He first appeared in the Local Magistrate’s Court on October 30th and will again appear on the 24th of November 2017 after the matter was postponed today. Beck strongly condemned the attack, saying the learners, as well as staff, wanted to demonstrate their disapproval.

Beck stated the former student was troubled and had a history of delinquent behaviour. According to her, the suspect had bounced around different schools in recent years. He attended Edenburg Combined School and transferred to Botle Ba Thuto, he was only there for three months after which he transferred to Edenhoogte Primary School, where he is no longer a student.

Beck says the suspect had been aggressive towards Coetzee previously, throwing stones at her car in one instance. Beck goes on say that Coetzee is traumatised, but is undergoing therapy. When Beck wanted to visit last week Thursday, she was informed Coetzee had been admitted to Rosepark Hospital after the stab wounds on her face became infected.

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