Swazi Observer

FULL STORY

RELIEF AS MISSING BOY FOUND

By SIFISO DLAMINI | 2020-08-12

AN eight-year-old boy gave his family and the public the fright of their lives when he disappeared to emerge 24 hours later.

Mystery surrounded Daniel Benele Israel Dlamini of Madonsa in Manzini who showed up exactly 24 hours after his disappearance from the very same home he was said to have disappeared.

An extensive search involving members of the police force who had plighted a missing person’s report, residents as well as community police lasted for the better part of yesterday as they conducted a door-to-door search for the missing minor who was reported missing since Monday afternoon. The news of his disappearance sent social media abuzz as concerned members of the public spread the word in an attempt to the search for the minor.

He reportedly went missing on Monday afternoon and was last seen playing with his friends and said he was going home at around 1700 hours and was not seen until he mysteriously emerged from his bedroom where he said he was hiding.

His emergence from his house puzzled both his family and the police as they had extensively searched the homestead with the assistance of sniffer dogs to no avail. His relieved father Ronald Dlamini said his disappearance and eventual discovery was a mystery as the minor informed them that he was hiding in his room and fell into a deep sleep and could not hear them when they called out his name. “I am relieved that my son has been found. He said he was sleeping in his room but this is strange since we searched everywhere in the house with the police and their sniffer dogs since last night and we did not find him,” he said. He also mentioned that the statements given by his son were confusing as his stories did not align. “At some point, he informed us that he saw the sniffer dogs and assumed they were family pet dogs yet we did not see him while searching. The biggest question we are asking ourselves is where he could have been,” added Dlamini. He said what was also strange was that he alleged he had been sleeping since Monday night and had not eaten since he had lunch the previous day.

Confused

He further mentioned that they were confused and did not understand what could have happened. He stated that he was relieved that his son was found alive and would be taken to hospital for medical evaluation. In an interview, his grandmother said as much as the incident traumatised the family, she thanked God that he was found alive and well. “We searched everywhere around the homestead, all the houses as well as unused houses to no avail. He just emerged from the house and said he was tired which is strange,” she said. A neighbour, who said the ordeal was disturbing as the last person he was seen with was his son, said he was thankful that the minor was found alive and well. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that the minor was found yesterday.

“The minor was discovered at his homestead yesterday afternoon which is strange as we searched everywhere and did not find him. He was discovered alive and well but what was puzzling was that his statements did not align,” she said.

share story