Double suicide rocks Swakop school

AFTER the suicide of a 14-year-old pupil of Namib High School on Friday, another pupil from the same school took her life yesterday.
On Friday, five pupils were caught in possession of alcohol on the school premises.

The girls were sent home, their parents were informed of the incident and were asked to see the principal on Monday.It is believed that two of the pupils were suspended for a week.On Friday evening, Willie Diergaardt found his daughter, Evensulh ‘Mandy’ van Wyk, hanging from a bedroom ceiling fan, with a bed sheet around her neck. She had committed suicide.The town was still reeling with shock over this tragedy when news broke yesterday afternoon that another girl from the same school had committed suicide.The Erongo Police confirmed the second suicide yesterday evening.According to a Police source, the second girl hanged herself at her home in Swakopmund at around 15h00.She was apparently found by relatives and rushed to the Cottage Medi-Clinic. While some sources said that the second girl was part of the group sent home on Friday, the Police source told The Namibian that there were no indications that the second victim had been involved in the alcohol incident.The second girl was a Grade 8 learner at Namib High School.Detective Sergeant Julia Nujoma, spokesperson for the Erongo Police, said Mandy’s parents, Willie and Eveline Diergaardt, fetched their daughter from school on Friday and according to them, she was very emotional.’She told us very sorrowfully that she did not drink, and was also not going to drink. Her father told her it was OK, and that we would deal with it later when we come home from work,’ a grief-stricken Mrs Diergaardt told The Namibian. ‘She eventually appeared relaxed and even made a sandwich for her dad during lunchtime before he went back to work.’According to her, Mr Diergaardt asked Mandy if she was ‘OK’ and she said she was. When they returned home around 18h00, they found the main upstairs bedroom locked.’I knocked and called her name but there was no reply. So I went downstairs again to get a spare key,’ said Mr Diergaardt.When he unlocked the door, he found his daughter hanging from the ceiling fan, a bed-sheet around her neck.In an attempt to save his daughter, Diergaardt loosened the sheet and rushed her to the Cottage Medi-Clinic, but it was too late.’I thought there may still have been a chance for her to survive,’ he said.Mandy had left a note. According to her father, she thanked her parents for being good parents and said she loved them. ‘There was however no reasons given in the note by her why she committed suicide,’ Diergaardt said.The Police are in possession of the note. Diergaardt said Mandy had seemed fine before the suicide.’When I took her to school on Friday, she was still very fine,’ he told The Namibian.’I unfortunately can’t say much about what happened at school with regard to the alcohol incident. Some of the kids involved were apparently suspended for a week. I would have still taken her to school on Monday too.’He said the most frustrating thing at the moment was not knowing exactly what the incident at the school involved, but added that he would soon get clarity from the headmaster, Ernst Olivier.’She was a wonderful kid that crept into everyone’s heart – her spontaneity was something everyone noticed and loved. Everyone loved her,’ he said.’I want to tell the parents to look out for their kids, and if there is any strange behaviour, or if the kid wants to talk; then parents must make the time to listen immediately,’ Diergaardt said.’There are just so many questions that run through our minds now, and who will answer them?’A fellow pupil at Namib High School told The Namibian that news about Mandy’s death spread like wildfire and ’emotions were high’ at the school yesterday morning.’We had a moment of silence for her after the principal told us of the tragedy. It was a shock to many,’ said one pupil.The school principal referred The Namibian to the Erongo Directorate of Education.’We cannot say anything. Please call the directorate; they will have the information you require,’ Olivier said.The directorate said they were awaiting a report from the school and could not comment yet.