A Kimberley family is elated after being reunited with their nine-year-old child, Joshua Oliphant, who went missing after Pescodia Primary School dismissed on Friday morning.
A KIMBERLEY family is elated after being reunited with their nine-year-old child, Joshua Oliphant, who went missing after Pescodia Primary School dismissed on Friday morning.
According to the boy’s foster parent and aunt, Joan Visser, Joshua was found in Roodepan at the home of a friend late on Saturday afternoon after the family had frantically searched for him for over 24 hours.
Although highly relieved, Visser was visibly angry after learning that the other child’s parents never took the trouble to locate Joshua’s family and let them know about his whereabouts.
“I came with the Galeshewe SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit in search of Joshua. We have been searching for Joshua since the moment we found out he was missing. The FCS had to drive to each home of Joshua’s friends and classmates to ask when last they had seen him. We drove from different houses in different residential areas. One child would send us to the house of another and the other one would send us to another address. I was so elated when I found him unharmed,” said Visser.
“However, what bothered me was that the parents of Joshua’s friend never queried why a child dressed in school uniform would come to their house for a sleepover. It was straight after school and Joshua had no pyjamas or some play clothes or anything to show that he was going for a sleepover. We were worried sick and the child spent the night at an unknown house. I have never met the parents of Joshua’s friend and neither do they know me. We live in times where one cannot just take the word of a child and not confirm with the parents of the child. One can easily find yourself being accused of kidnapping or human trafficking.”
Visser thanked the FCS team for assisting in the search for Joshua.
“These people went beyond the call of duty while searching for Joshua. There were moments I felt like I was losing my mind because the hours were flying by. I was so afraid because we hear of so many reports of missing children and then later the bodies of those missing children are discovered. The team helped to make me calm when my emotions were taking over.
“The team members were up and searching with us for Joshua since early in the morning and never once complained about having to search for so many hours. The school dismissed at 11.30am on Friday and we only found him at 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon. It has been more than 24 hours. When a parent does not know the whereabouts of their child, every second of a day can be torture.”
Visser urged parents to take the necessary precautions when their children’s friends are in their care.
“We are all parents and we want to protect our children. We know our children are at times are naughty or do things hastily without thinking of the consequences. It is, however, up to the adults in whose care that child ends up to make sure that all parties, including the other parents, have full knowledge of where exactly their child is.
“This matter had everyone stressed and worried. There were so many people who were concerned about Joshua, as we circulated his picture on social media with the aim of finding him. I am very happy that he was safe, but this entire situation could have been avoided.”
Galeshewe police spokesperson Sergeant Timothy Sam confirmed that the child was found unharmed.
