Axe killings teen may never speak again

A TEEN girl who survived a horror axe attack that killed her family may never be able to speak about what happened

A TEEN girl who survived a horror axe attack that killed her family may never be able to speak about what happened, or give police the vital clues they need to catch the killer.

Marli van Breda’s head injury is so bad her doctors fear she may not be able to remember what happened the day her family were massacred a month ago.

The 16-year-old survived the attack in which her parents, Martin and Teresa, and her 22-year-old brother, Rudi, were killed, was struck on the head several times during the attack. Her injuries could cause permanent brain damage.

Without her statement police will have to rely on forensic and circumstantial evidence to catch the killer.

The family have strong connections with Australia after they moved to Perth about eight years ago and then relocated to Brisbane. They recently returned to live in Stellenbosch, near Cape Town in South Africa.

Marli’s 20-year-old brother, Henri, was the only other survivor of the January 27 attack.

Sources told the Sunday Times no one had been allowed to visit Marli in hospital, including Henri.

“They fear she might go into shock, or will be traumatised further if she sees him,” the source said.

The Sunday Times reported the three paramedics who treated Marli and declared Martin, Teresa and Rudi dead on the scene have not yet returned to work. They were severely traumatised by what they discovered in the house and are still receiving counselling, according to colleagues, who said the scene was one of the bloodiest they had ever seen.

Although Marli is awake and aware her communication with doctors is limited and her head and neck are still heavily bandaged.

“It is heartbreaking to see tears rolling down her cheeks,” said a person close to her, who wouldn’t be named.

MORE: Henri van Breda ‘giggles’ in emergency call to report axe attack that killed three family

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However her condition is improving. She has been moved out of the ICU section of the hospital and this week she began moving both sides of her body.

That is a big relief to doctors who feared she could be paralysed.

But police are concerned that, mentally, she may not recover enough to give a detailed and credible account of the night of the attack.

This will mean forensic evidence will play a crucial role in the case. Various tests are under way, including those involving blood-spatter patterns and DNA.

These tests are likely to take several months due to backlogs at police forensic laboratories.

Meanwhile, Henri is keeping a low profile. He has not been seen in public since the memorial service for his parents and brother in Pretoria two weeks ago.

Family spokesman Ben Rootman said Henri was living with an uncle in Stellenbosch and was receiving counselling.

He said Henri was being “monitored”, but wouldn’t say why.

“Marli continues to improve day by day. Doctors confirmed that there is movement on both sides of her body,” he said.

“She cannot talk yet, but she shows emotion and seems to recognise the faces of her family members on the pictures that have been put on her wall.”

Originally published as Axe killings teen may never speak again