Teen killed protecting mom during Gauteng farm robbery

“He tried to save me. I told him to run. I told him that he and his brother were more important than my life.”

These are the words of a heartbroken mom, Lyall Louw, who spoke to Streeknuus after the death of her 14-year-old son Jayden on Saturday.

Lyall, Jayden and his brother Damian (10) were alone at their home on a smallholding in the Welbekend area outside Bapsfontein on Saturday, when there was a knock at the front door at 13:00.

The ‘visitors’ were five men that she had not seen before. They asked to see one of the other residents of the house. Lyall was alarmed to see that they were armed and she tried to close the slightly open door on them.

However, she says the men rammed their way in and forced her to open first one safe and then another, so they could steal the contents. When Jayden saw how his mother was being manhandled, she told him and Damian to run, says Lyall.

Before they could get away, Lyall says she heard two shots go off and saw that Jayden was bleeding from a chest wound.

Lyall says she told the robbers to take whatever they wanted, but to allow her to take her child to the hospital. The intruders replied that he would be ‘OK’.

The gang stole cellphones and laptops before fleeing the scene on foot to where their vehicles were hidden from the smallholding.

With the help of Damian and a farmhand, Lyall loaded the heavily wounded Jayden into her car and rushed him to the Netcare Linmed Hospital in Benoni.

She phoned her husband, Duan, while en route. Duan, who overhauls trucks and farms sheep, was driving a client’s truck when he received the call. He made it just in time to say farewell to his son.

Crime on the increase

Llewellyn Hemmens, AfriForum’s regional head of safety in the Northern region, described Jayden’s death as a tragedy and urged farmers to up their security.

Hemmens said crime is on the rise in the area, especially stock theft. He suspects the attack on the Louw family might be related to another incident where eight Mozambicans stole farm implements.

A wonderful boy

“Someone please tell me why this had to happen!” asked a devastated Lyall on Tuesday morning.

“He was an amazing boy. He was everything and more,” she said.

Lyall said Jayden loved to read, tell jokes – which were often ‘lame’, and play the classic and electric guitar. His passion was his bunny, Floofy.

She described her son as outgoing and fond of telling jokes ‘that were very lame’. It was his giggle that made his family laugh.

He wanted to become a chef and regularly cooked meals for his father Duan, his mom, and little brother Damian (10).

“Jayden loved life and wanted to do so much. He loved his brother and his family was his life,” she said.

Jayden attended The Innovative Study and Tutor Centre in Benoni.

His funeral arrangements were not yet known at the time of going to press.

Manhunt

A case of house robbery and murder has been opened and police have launched a manhunt for the suspects.

The police’s media statement differs slightly from the family’s. It states that one of the family members ran to a safe to take a gun out but was overpowered and shot.

Anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist in the apprehension of the suspects is urged to call the nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.