Mother accused of murdering her 9-year-old daughter remains in custody

The mother accused of murdering her 9-year-old daughter briefly appeared in the Regional Court in Vanderbijlpark earlier today. Soniya Koekemoer failed to formally confess to the murder of Michelle Koekemoer due to her emotional well-being. Her eyes looked red and tired as her lawyer, Francois de Kock, asked for court proceedings to be postponed.

De Kock told the court that he was unable to properly consult with his client because she was very upset. Local police arrested the 35-year-old mother on Friday after she confessed to strangling and killing her daughter on June 9. She initially told police that after waking up with a rope around her own neck, she found her daughter’s lifeless body in her bed with a rope around her neck.

Magistrate Robert Button postponed the case to August 11 for the accused to compose her emotions. Koekemoer searched for her family in the packed courtroom as she was led down the stairs. She will remain in custody until her next court appearance.

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