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Cape Town - All necessary professional help will be provided for Henri van Breda following a vicious attack on his family that left his parents and brother dead and his sister critically injured.
Henri, 20, sustained a few cuts and bruises on his arms in the attack while his parents and brother were murdered with an axe. His 16-year-old sister Marli suffered a severe head trauma and a severed jugular.
The Van Breda family’s lawyer Don Bosman would not say what kind of professional help would be provided for Henri, who is currently living with an uncle in Stellenbosch.
Bosman told News24 the uncle was “determined” to provide “any professionals needed” by Henri.
Henri’s condition was “reasonable in the circumstances”, Bosman said he had been told by the uncle.
Bosman said he was unaware if Henri had made any mention of the events that led to the attack.
According to a resident who wished to remain anonymous, Henri was found by a neighbour sitting outside the family home with a phone in his hand. The neighbour is thought to have contacted the police who then arrived at the estate and informed security of the murder scene.
Reports said the son had been taken in for questioning but police denied this. And despite the family lawyer and the media naming the victims, the police are still refusing to do so.
“There is a responsibility on [police] to protect the identity of the people who survived the attack on their life and therefore the names of the deceased cannot be officially released,” Western Cape police spokesperson André Traut said in an email.
De Zalze Homeowners Association chairperson Eben Potgieter told News24 they had found no breach of security. He said there was an 8km fence surrounding the estate and there are security cameras around the property.
He also told News24 that the family hadn’t received any visitors on Monday night or Tuesday morning but said it was possible that they had received a visitor who had his or her own access card.
Bosman said funeral arrangements would be made later on Thursday.
- To read more about these gruesome murders, click here.
