A missing teenager from Onrus was found unharmed and returned to her parents’ home over the weekend after a successful community effort to find her.
Karo Beets (17) went missing on Friday 26 June, around 15:00. A message with her photo and a description of her was circulated on local WhatsApp and Facebook groups. It stated she had been gone for about two hours and her phone was at home. While her parents contacted police, local volunteers and neighbourhood watches jumped into action.
“The two neighbourhood watches in Onrus and Vermont, OnVerwag (Onrus Vermont NHW) and Alfa were involved in the search,” said Caroline Gabb from Onrus, “with all resources made available – eg Onverwag’s community cameras and Alfa’s drone.
“Anneri Carstens of Eagle Security in Gansbaai also made their tracker dog and handlers available to us. Contact was maintained with the family throughout, and updated information was shared with the community as it became available.” Gabb also thanked Hermanus police for their assistance.
“It was incredible and heart warming that so many people in the community offered to help. The ground was well covered within an hour of the missing person’s report going out, and it was reassuring to know there was a whole circle of willing and available people who would have responded to the call to action the next day had it been necessary.”
To everyone’s relief a Facebook post was sent out by the family in the early morning hours of Saturday to explain Karo had been found and was safe at home.
Dr Martyn Beets (Karo’s dad) said the family was overwhelmed with the help and care they received from the community of Hermanus.
“We give all glory to God, who sovereignly determines our steps, but we sincerely thank everyone used by Him to encourage us and help to find our precious Karo.
“A close friend who was part of the search said he no longer considers moving to Somerset West after witnessing how this community pulled together to help us find Karo.
“We are busy sending letters expressing our gratitude to all the organised groups and forums and we are equally thankful towards every individual who is unknown to us.”
He said he and his family realised Karo was missing on Friday at 15:15.
“We realised Karo was not in the house, which she never left without us or a sibling accompanying her. The security camera of a neighbour indicated that she had left at 14:45. We went to the park and the beach where we usually take a stroll as a family. When we did not find her, I drove to the police station and reported her missing.
“We contacted our church members and the neighbourhood watch, and within the next few hours we had Hermanus crawling with people, from the police to an elderly lady from Paradise Park, who got into her car and started searching. Our house was flooded with members of our church and other concerned and loving people.”
According to Beets, his daughter was found when she came down from the mountain to get her backpack that she had hidden in the yard of an empty house.
“She walked into the mountain at Chanteclair and built herself a shelter. In the storm she wanted to get her backpack from the balcony of an empty house, where the silent alarm beam was broken alerting ADT. She was found alone in the braai area of the house, where she had taken shelter. She was brought back to our home by the ADT manager.”
According to her father she is doing fine, and is currently receiving Biblical counselling.
“Concerning Karo’s struggles we can say we are searching God’s sufficient Word to provide us with clarity and perspective on her heart and our hearts as parents. We see this as a precious opportunity to have our blind spots revealed and dealt with. It is at this deepest level that God alone can bring true healing and change.
“We can confidently say there are no drugs, unbiblical relationships, or anything suspect that needs to be shared, beside the fact that all of us are forgiven sinners under construction of God’s grace which we stand in through Jesus Christ.
“You ask if the counselling is working. We believe it is, and that it is a process that has already started. It is a process we have witnessed as biblical counsellors ourselves many times before with God-honouring outcomes.”
