She was “always smiling”.
This is how 16-year-old Mia Kühn, a gr. A 10-year-old student from Hoërskool Garsfontein in Pretoria whose body was discovered at the school on Tuesday morning, her close friends say.
Amidst the grief in which this school community has been plunged, and the shock and sadness over her death, there are also lingering questions about the events.
Mia’s mother last saw her alive at home at midnight on Monday.
On Wednesday, the school expressed its condolences to the Kühn family and their loved ones on Facebook.
“We are so terribly sad with the family and our prayers for strength and comfort go out to them. As a community, please also lift them up in your prayers and support,” the school writes.
According to col. Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, police spokesperson, an inquest is being conducted after Mia’s death.
Matome Chiloane, MEC for education in Gauteng, confirmed during a media briefing at the school on Tuesday afternoon that Mia died due to unnatural causes, but at that stage could not confirm whether any other party or foul play was involved in the young girl’s death .
A post mortem will have to determine the cause of her death.
The police will also investigate how the learner gained access to the school grounds. The school is surrounded by a high electrified fence.
Meanwhile, Mia’s friends cherish their partner’s legacy with great love.
Friends Hanro du Preez, Sian Maier and Nadia Reyneke describe Mia as a friendly girl, who “always put her family and friends above herself and her own problems”.
“She always made you smile and always tried to help people who needed help. She knew very quickly when something was wrong and would always try her best to help them. One could not be sad for her because she always found a way to make one happy. She was always full of energy and enjoyed her life to the fullest,” says Sian.
For Hanro, Mia was a very good friend who “had a way of always putting a smile on other people’s faces, even though she was going through difficult times”.
“She was the funniest friend in the group, always making jokes,” he says.
According to Nadia, Mia always breathed life into the class with her “infectious laugh”.
“Mia had a way of making even the most boring classes interesting and making you feel comfortable and relaxed. If you were one of Mia’s friends, you were very lucky,” she says.
According to Hanro, Mia in gr. 8 played hockey and in gr. 9 tennis. In her free time she liked to skateboard.
According to her friends, Mia was creative and very artistic.
Sian, who has been friends with Mia since primary school, says she liked to make different dishes and also really liked to draw.
“She would always bring us the food she made to school and give it to us to taste. One could see that Mia had a passion for the things she could create,” says Sian.
RNews reported earlier that Mia and her mother went to bed around midnight. When she went to look for her daughter in her room yesterday morning, she was clear.
Shortly after the mother reported her daughter missing at the police station, she received the news that a body had been found on the rugby field. The body was identified as that of Mia.
