KZN mom and teacher take on hijackers to save boy

At about 5pm last Tuesday, Kaylene van Vuuren went to fetch her son from the crèche. After placing the boy in the car and getting into the drivers’ seat, she was approached by two men who allegedly demanded she hand over the keys, Zululand Observer reported.

Van Vuuren refused, fearing for her son, who was strapped to his car seat.

“The one tried to grab the keys, and we struggled. I had the ring of the key around my finger, and I just held on. The one guy was quite big. He physically picked me up and removed me from my car. I could hear my son screaming, and I was screaming too,” she said.

According to Van Vuuren, one of the suspects kept telling the other, “shoot her, just shoot her,” before a shot went off. “I remember thinking that they have shot my son. I let him take the keys and rushed to the back of the car. I opened the door, and I didn’t see him or any blood.”

Before the suspects sped off, Grieta Heymans, the crèche owner’s wife, ran to the car, opened the back door, grabbed the boy and ran back to the crèche. “I was hoping the hijackers wouldn’t turn around and see me at the back of the car,” said Heymans. “As soon as I had him, I just had to get away and get him to safety.”

The vehicle was recovered later that evening near Mtubatuba, parked in bushes on the side of the road. The suspects had taken everything of value out of the vehicle, including the child’s car seat.

Provincial police spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane said a case of carjacking was being investigated and that no arrests have been made.

– Caxton News Service