On February 27 2016, just one day before her 11th birthday, Shamonique Claasen disappeared without a trace from her home in Paarl, Western Cape.
After her body was discovered, a police investigation would reveal that Shamonique’s murder was the horrific crescendo in a torrent of domestic violence that had been building for years within the young girl’s extended family.
The ensuing trial and conviction would highlight themes of spousal rape, domestic violence, and the resulting ripples these crimes send through multiple generations of a family.
In episode 53 of True Crime South Africa we delve into this horrific case and explore how a 10-year-old girl lost her life to a legacy of abuse.
Listen to the tragic story here:
