A mother is having sleepless nights after her 28-year-old daughter went missing on Thursday while fetching her child from a preschool in Benoni.
Charlotte Panter said she last saw Elaine wearing a green jersey‚ black leggings and black boots. She has blonde hair with piercings in both ears.
She was fetching her five-year-old son‚ while driving a white BMW 320 E90 with the registration DC22LSGP.
“I was cleaning up the kitchen when my husband walked in alone. I asked if he came back with Tyler and Elaine since they were supposed to give him a lift and he said he got a lift back.
“He thought she forgot to fetch him. Her phone was broken so she did not have a phone with her‚” Panter said.
She said they immediately panicked and starting calling around to see if anyone knew where Elaine could be.
“I knew something was wrong. On Friday, I started taking it to Facebook‚ asking for help‚ and opened a missing person’s case.
“On Saturday, police came and took statements. I have not heard anything from them.
“We drove around the whole day hoping to spot her car or something.”
Panter was inundated with phone calls after going public.
One person sent them a “please call me” message and her husband urged her to call back in the hope that it could provide a lead.
“I called the number and a lady picked up. She claimed that she has my daughter and demanded R10‚000 in exchange. I asked her where she found her and she said Joburg.
“When I asked to hear my daughter’s voice she refused‚ so I knew it was fake. They just want money.”
Panter said she had been struggling to sleep or eat.
To the best of her knowledge‚ Elaine does not have a boyfriend so she doubts she went to join a man without informing her family.
“She is very responsible‚” Panter said.
Police were contacted on Monday but could not immediately provide any comment.
The Pink Ladies organisation appealed to anyone with information to contact either SAPS detectives on 011-7470000 or the group’s representatives on 072-214-7439/0860010111.