‘She’s not doing well’: family of Florida woman doused with petrol, set alight

It was double trauma for the family of Marishka Davids, a Roodepoort woman who was set alight last week, as the attack triggered memories of a similar attack on another family member a few years earlier.

Davids, 30, and her friend Zakkihya Raymond, 38, were doused with petrol and set alight, allegedly by a man linked to Davids, in Florida on February 11.

Raymond succumbed to her injuries and was buried on Monday while Davids continues her painful journey to recovery.

Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the man's arrest on Sunday and said he was expected to appear in court on Wednesday to face charges of murder, attempted murder and arson. 

Davids' mother Mandy provided an update on her daughter's recovery and opened up about what happened.

Police said the suspect was her boyfriend.

Davids said on her return home on February 10, Marishka decided to visit Raymond, who lived next door. 

Marishka ended up sleeping at her friend's place and this is where the suspect found her on the morning of February 11 .

“He came home early on Sunday morning and asked around the complex [for her whereabouts] and was told she was at Zakkihya's [place]. He managed to get into Zakkihya's place, [allegedly] poured petrol over them and set them alight, and in the process burned himself,” she said.

The suspect ran away and the two women were taken to hospital for treatment.

He was found on Sunday hiding at an ex-girlfriend's house in Bellavista.

It remains unclear what sparked the vicious attack.

Davids said her daughter was in intensive care unit and was “not doing well” after sustaining burns on her face and all the way down to her legs.

She said the mother of one has woken up but “is totally confused”. 

Davids said her daughter and the suspect had been together for about a year.

“I don't know what their relationship was like. But when he came to my house he was a very quiet, passive chap” she said.

“We presume an argument must have occurred. That's the only thing we can think of.".

Davids described the impact the attack has had on the family, in particular her nine-year-old daughter and Marishka's brother Diego.

“It hit us very badly. We had a similar tragedy with our family in the Cape about two years ago. My cousin's son has passed away so it's brought back all those memories.

" Diego hasn't been to work. He tried to go but they sent him home. Her daughter has withdrawn. The way I read her, she knows what happened to her mother but doesn't know the severity of it. She's not talking about it.”

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