The 10-year-old girl eyed the fence, together with her little brother (8), tiny sister (4) and an 8-year-old boy who had impulsively decided to join the trio in their escape bid. They ran to the fence and no alarms sounded. They had successfully eluded their care-givers. Within seconds, a plan days in the making was a reality, as they scaled the fence on Saturday afternoon. There would only be security checks later in the day and by then, they would be long gone.

They were outside the fence and on their way back home to dad!

The girl carried her young sister on her waist as they moved through the streets. People driving past paid no heed to the four children scampering along the road away from the children’s home.

It was only when they reached the outskirts of town, moving along the bypass towards RTI, that a passing motorist became concerned. She slowed and followed them, calling Secure SA, who responded. The kids were stopped opposite RTI and asked where they were going?

The 10-year-old responded that she could not talk to the lady, as she was a stranger. It was only after some cajoling that the girl admitted she was from a nearby children’s home. The children had walked about 5 kilometres to escape and were on their way to Winterton to be with their family, who live in an informal settlement outside Winterton.

Home staff came and soon everyone, including the crying children, were whisked away back to the sterile confines of the children’s home.

It was there that I joined the rescuers, the escapees and home staff. The crying children was a heart-wrenching sight.

We would soon find out the tragic story of a young girl forced to grow up too soon!

The father had apparently promised to visit over the weekend, but had failed to do so. Their uncle had recently died and he was a major contributor to the young girl’s family – his money kept them going. When the young girl was told by her father that the uncle was dead, she realised her parents would have nothing…

Her mission was not to escape the home, but to come to the rescue of her parents. A 10-year-old who was not just a mother figure to her younger siblings, but to her father and mother as well.

We could ask awkward questions as to how they managed to escape. We could point fingers at the home for doing too little too late. We could, and maybe the powers-that-be should ask those questions.

But the biggest question we need to ask ourselves as a community is: What can we do to help?

No 10-year-old should carry the weight of the world on her shoulders; no young child should feel the need to escape from a place that provides for their needs to rescue their parents from abject poverty!

The law is such that we cannot name the children, or the home, or why they were taken from their parents. The LAW is very clear, but in this tragic case, so clearly failing everyone concerned.

As the children were handed back to the home, I had an opportunity to listen to the story and to see the children as they cried at being returned. Later, as I was leaving the home, the sky burst open and rain poured down as I walked to my car. It allowed me to hide the tears streaming down my face. Nobody deserves to grow up so early…

If you want to help, encourage your church, temple or mosque to get involved.

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