Man arrested after girl, 7, found dead beneath bed in Bultfontein shack

A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder and rape of a 7-year-old girl, whose body was discovered beneath a bed in a shack in Phahameng, Bultfontein, according to Free State police. Police were alerted to the incident on Sunday, August 9, 2026, after receiving a call about a murder scene in the area. Officers arrived at the location and were directed to a shack, where they found the motionless body of the girl.

She had been found with her pants pulled down and injuries on her neck, according to Captain Loraine Earle of the police. The child was pronounced dead by emergency medical services personnel at the scene. The victim was discovered by her 14-year-old sister, who noticed a hand protruding from underneath the bed and alerted their father, who was in the main house.

Police launched a preliminary investigation and quickly traced the suspect to a nearby farm. The 29-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested and faces charges of murder and rape of a minor. He is set to appear in the Bultfontein Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.