{"id":229161,"date":"2020-02-05T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/229161\/family-remembers-laticia-for-who-she-was\/"},"modified":"2020-02-06T13:16:48","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T11:16:48","slug":"family-remembers-laticia-for-who-she-was","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2020\/02\/05\/family-remembers-laticia-for-who-she-was\/","title":{"rendered":"Family remembers Laticia for who she was"},"content":{"rendered":"

The day before her 15th birthday, Laticia Jansen\u2019s lifeless, half-naked body was found in Elsburg.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Laticia Jansen was found murdered and allegedly raped the day before her 15th birthday. She went missing on January 22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to an Elsburg police report (GCN, January 31), her body was discovered next to the bank of a river which runs between the N17 highway and Brug Street.<\/p>

<\/div>\n

\u201cThe victim\u2019s body was covered with a bulk bag,\u201d said Const Daphney Phooko, communications officer for the Elsburg SAPS.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was last seen last Wednesday between 7.30am and 8am in Voortrekker Street in the Elsburg CBD.\u201d<\/p>

<\/div>\n

She had allegedly been raped.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLES:<\/h4>\n

Schoolgirl allegedly raped before being murdered, body found in Elsburg<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

The GCN visited her devastated family in van Lingen Street, Dukathole, to find out more about the girl behind the headlines.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor her birthday, she would’ve enjoyed some birthday cake and cooldrinks with her family,\u201d said Aaliyah Nelson, Laticia\u2019s cousin and best friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was how she always celebrated her birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laticia, one of 12 grandchildren, was described by her grandmother, Lynette Jansen, as a family-orientated young woman who loved children.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would almost always be with the family,\u201d said Lynette.<\/p>\n

Aaliyah agreed, \u201cWe would spend most of our time together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would tease each other, she would tell me I\u2019m fat and I would tell her she was skinny.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would take loads of selfies because I am a self-confessed selfie freak, and make silly videos.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just had fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah further explained that Laticia could never be cross with people.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if you were fighting and shouting at her she would just laugh at you,\u201d said Aaliyah.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou would say to her \u2018it\u2019s not funny\u2019, but she would just keep laughing.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe just tried to make the best out of any situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLE:<\/h4>\n

Update: MEC Lesufi visits school, family of murdered Germiston learner<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

When asked what Laticia hoped to be when she was older, Whitney Barnes, her neighbour and friend, said, \u201cA doctor.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe loved school, and was always playing school-school in the yard and loved teaching the younger children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah agreed, \u201cAs soon as she got home she\u2019d do her homework,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the other children went out and played she\u2019d take her books, I\u2019d take my books and we\u2019d do our homework.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen when we were done we\u2019d eat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah and Laticia also shared a love of food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d eat a lot,\u201d said Aaliyah.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe loved food.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLE<\/h4>\n

Update: MEC Lesufi says heads will roll if he doesn\u2019t get answers<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Laticia, her sister Liyanda (20) and brothers Dino (17) and Lerenzo (7) lost their mother two years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThough she was sad at the loss of her mother, I spoke to her and her siblings about it and she was able to come to terms with it,\u201d explained Lynette.<\/p>\n

Aaliyah explained sometimes she\u2019d miss her mom and shed some tears.<\/p>\n

When Laticia didn\u2019t come home from school, Aaliyah said she knew immediately something was wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe doesn\u2019t have friends who live outside of the community,\u201d said Aaliyah.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know her and I know her friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the age of 14 going on 15 years old most teenagers are dating, but Laticia didn\u2019t date.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people would tease her and ask her \u2018when are you going to get a man?\u2019 she would say she wanted to finish school first and then she\u2019d find a boyfriend and get married.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe just was that kind of person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah said when Laticia didn\u2019t come home she really started to panic.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would never stay away from home without telling her grandmother where she was,\u201d added Whitney.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLE:<\/h4>\n

Update: MEC Lesufi announces removal of Graceland Education Centre principal<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lynette was also panicked when Laticia didn\u2019t return home from school and started searching for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to the school and asked if she had been at school that day,\u201d said Lynette.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was told no.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe school asked if she was perhaps at a friend or another family member, so I explained I know all her friends and I am her only family here.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey then told me to go to the police station and I explained I was on my way to the police station, I just wanted to make sure if she had made it to school or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lynette explained that she knew the routes the children took to school if they were left behind by their transport, but never realised the danger.<\/p>\n

She then visited the Elsburg Police Station, where she opened a missing person\u2019s case.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe police didn\u2019t help us, from the moment we opened the case to when we found the body,\u201d said Lynette.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we asked the police to help us search the area they said they would search the area and get back to us, but they would not come out with us to search.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLE:<\/h4>\n

Community of Elsburg demand justice for Laticia and an end to crime in their suburb<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

Aaliyah said that despite telling the police how dangerous the area was, they refused to come and search the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the police wanted was a photo of Laticia,\u201d said Aaliyah.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wouldn\u2019t accept cellphone photos even though we explained that these were the only photos we had available.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told us to come back the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, by the next day the family, with the help of their dogs, had found Laticia\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the incident, police questioned Laticia\u2019s brother Dino when he tried to explain that he believed the suspects had come from behind,\u201d said Lynette.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey asked him how he knew \u2013 did he have something to do with it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah and Whitney questioned how the police could ask him such a question after the death of his sister.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was just giving an opinion on what he thought happened,\u201d said Whitney.<\/p>\n

The family still struggle to sleep at night.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is hard because we saw what they did to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will lie together and tell jokes so that we don\u2019t focus on what is happening,\u201d Aaliyah explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause if we keep quiet someone will to start to cry and then we will all start crying.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fall asleep comforting each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RELATED ARTICLE:<\/h4>\n

Residents share their thoughts on Laticia Jansen\u2019s murder<\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

The family and her friends hold onto their fond memories, photos and videos of Laticia and remember the kind, happy and bubbly person she was.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will always remember Laticia\u2019s smile,\u201d said Whitney.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was so kind and never had a bad thing to say about anyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was just a free spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aaliyah said she will miss her laugh and how the pair would playfully tease each other.<\/p>\n

Lynette hopes the police will find ways of working with residents to ensure the safety of the community.<\/p>\n

A funeral was held for Laticia on Saturday in Dukathole.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t