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'Doctors suspected poisoning‚' says family of Natasha Conabeer‚ who died after going missing for three weeks

Natasha Conabeer
Natasha Conabeer
Image: Supplied

The family of Natasha Conabeer‚ the Durban woman who died on Monday morning after she had been missing for three weeks‚ believe she was poisoned.

“The doctors suspected poisoning. She also had a large quantity of paracetamol in her body. That is what they [doctors] said‚ and they said it affected her organs‚” said Conabeer’s aunt‚ Nosipho Goba.

Goba was speaking to the media at Conabeer's home‚ where KwaZulu-Natal premier‚ Sihle Zikalala‚ and eThekwini mayor‚ Mxolisi Kaunda‚ came to pay their respects. She said Conabeer had no visible injuries‚ except for bruises on her knee and arm.

Conabeer was reported missing three weeks ago after she allegedly left a friend's home in Morningside‚ Durban. She was rushed to hospital on Sunday‚ after being found unconscious at her family home in Inanda‚ north of Durban.

She died on Monday morning after being admitted to an intensive care unit.

“On Sunday‚ at around 12:30am‚ her mother heard a scratching noise at the door and she thought it was the dogs that usually stay in front of the door‚ so she decided to go out and check and she found Natasha. She was unconscious and the only bruising she had was on her knee and arm. That was the only visible thing on the outside but the problem was on the inside‚” said Goba.

Goba said Natasha's mother had last made contact with her on August 9 but was assured by Conabeer's friends that she was okay.

“It started on the ninth. We couldn’t get in contact with her and her friends said they were in contact with her. On the 19th‚ the mother decided to open a case with missing persons because her friends told her that they were no longer in contact with her and they can't find her‚” she said.

Conabeer’s mother cried silently as she sat next to two candles‚ red roses and her daughter's pictures while a church hymn‚ led by Kaunda‚ echoed through the house.

“This has been hard‚ especially on her mother. Natasha was an only child so that is why it has been so difficult. She is hurt‚” said Goba.

Goba described the 23-year-old as a bubbly person who was able to make friends with anyone. She said the family had no idea what happened to Conabeer or why anyone would want to harm her.

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