Kidnapped girl reunited with foster family
Seven-year-old Pura Pahlo, who was kidnapped by her biological father, Ray Pahlo, has been reunited with her foster family.
Seven-year-old Pura Pahlo, who was kidnapped by her biological father, Ray Pahlo, has been reunited with her foster family.
Evan Andreou, Pura’s foster father told Looklocal Pura was physically unharmed and doing fine.
Warrant Officer Annabel Middleton said 42-year-old Ray Pahlo and a woman were arrested in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, on Thursday.
“Pahlo was accompanied by a white female in her early thirties, speaking with an American accent. Both Pahlo and the woman were arrested and detained at Lydenburg police station,” Middleton said.
She said both Pahlo and the woman would be brought back to the Brooklyn police station. They each face a charge of kidnapping and were expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The Andreou family received the news that Pura was found around 06:30 on Thursday.
“Pura’s biological father checked into a guesthouse in Lydenburg, Mphumalanga, on Wednesday. He had Pura and a woman with him. The owner of the guesthouse recognised Pura after she saw her photo on the Internet,” Andreou said.
Andreou said the guesthouse owner immediately contacted the police.
Police escorted the Andreou family to Lydenburg where they were reunited with Pura.
“We are so relieved that she has been found. We barely slept last night, we were just so worried about Pura,” an emotional Andreou said earlier.
Pura was kidnapped on Wednesday in front of the Waterkloof Primary School.
“Pura was in the car with her foster mother. They had just stopped in front of the school when four men, posing as police officers, approached the vehicle.
“The men told the woman she was being arrested for kidnapping while the biological father of the girl, Ray Pahlo opened the passenger’s door and grabbed the girl before he fled,” Middleton said.
The four men, Zimbabwean nationals were arrested on the scene. They were expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
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