Killed Ingrid Maasdorp: ‘A butterfly taken too soon’

Ingrid Maasdorp (5) was known as her family’s ‘little butterfly’.

Grandmother Dolly Maasdorp gave her this nickname because of the light she brought to her family.

Ingrid was always fluttering, she says, bringing happiness to every room she entered.

Her little butterfly wings were, however, broken too soon.

Ingrid’s uncle, Presley van Neel, speaking on behalf of the Maasdorp family, says: “She was known as ‘ons skoenlappetjie’ – gentle, graceful and always fluttering with happiness and laughter.”

He was speaking on behalf of Dolly at Ingrid’s candlelight vigil in Windhoek on Thursday.

Ingrid was allegedly raped and murdered at Okahandja on 20 March.

Ingrid’s father, Shaun Goabab, at the event called on the police, lawmakers and civil servants to make an example of whoever murdered his daughter.

“I’ll ask the leaders to make a good example from that culprit if he gets caught. Until today we haven’t heard anything, and it hurts. I can’t sleep at night, and her mother can’t sleep, can’t eat,” he said.

Goabab said despite the suspect’s DNA and fingerprints being found on Ingrid’s body, the family has had no feedback from the police.

“How long must we wait, how long?” he asked.

Lawmaker Utaara Mootu this week called for reformed laws to protect children and women against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

“Ingrid’s name should be uttered in schoolyards, on birthdays and in dreams of what she would become – a doctor, a dancer, a mother, a dreamer. Instead, her name will now echo in the courtroom and petitions,” she said.

Mootu urged the police to throughly investigate the case.

The vigil was attended by prime minister Elijah Ngurare, deputy education minister Dino Ballotti, pastors, members of parliament and Ingrid’s family.

Namibians have, meanwhile, gathered in numbers to pay tribute and demand justice for Ingrid.

An online petition calling for appropriate legal action to be taken against the perpetrator has reached 8 650 votes.