80-Year-Old Woman's Body Found Stashed In Freezer At Her Home, Manhunt Launched

The body of an elderly woman was found in the freezer at her home in Pankop, South Africa, resulting in police launching a manhunt for the suspect.

The 80-year-old unidentified woman was staying with her 10-year-old grandson and a caregiver. On Monday, the boy returned home from school and alerted the neighbors after he couldn’t find anyone at the residence.

"Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was staying with her 10-year-old grandson as well as the caregiver hired by the family to look after the granny. On Monday, the young boy came back from school only to find that there was nobody at home. He realized that the door to the house was wide open but the burglar door was locked. He then began to ask neighbors of the whereabouts of his granny and the caregiver," Police Spokesperson Brig Leonard Hlathi, told local newspaper The Sowetan.

The neighbors arrived at the home and noticed several items placed on top of the freezer. The neighbors then opened the freezer and found the body of the woman stashed inside it.

"While searching, the neighbours became suspicious when they noticed a coffee table, gas stove and a TV set placed on top of the freezer. They then removed the items and discovered the lifeless body of the elderly woman inside the freezer," Hlathi told the newspaper.

Emergency personnel arrived at the home and pronounced her dead. A case was filed and police have launched a manhunt for the suspect. Meanwhile, police have asked the caregiver, identified as MmaThato, "to immediately go to the nearest police station as they (police) believe that she can assist immensely in the investigation," Hlathi said.

Police have also asked the public to contact them if they know the whereabouts of the caregiver.

The incident comes months after a 91-year-old woman was severely assaulted by a caregiver in South Africa. The caregiver, who fled the scene after the assault, was traced and taken into custody.