The Press
January 24 2007
Family of dead girl back home
The family of dead Zimbabwean girl
Charlene Makaza has returned to its Christchurch home.
The 10-year-old died in Christchurch
Hospital on January 7 after what police believe was a violent sexual assault in
the Bryndwr house.
Family members yesterday declined to
comment to The Press.
A woman at the house said she did
not want to say anything, but suggested the family would like to tell its
version of events "some time".
The family's lawyer, Susan Lewis,
declined to comment yesterday.
Lewis last week released a statement
from the family, voicing concern about some comments reported in the media that
were "quite misleading and in relation to particular facts are simply
wrong".
Police returned the house to the
family more than a week ago.
However, family members stayed
elsewhere until Charlene's funeral last Saturday.
Police investigation head Detective
Inspector Malcolm Johnston this week said he was preparing for a "long
inquiry".
Charlene was at home with her
sister, Charmaine, her aunt and uncle, Sifiso and George Gwaze, and their 24-year-old son, George,
and 20-year- old daughter, Nothando, when she was
found with her fatal injuries.
The family is the centre of the
inquiry, although police have not ruled out an intruder.