A grieving mom says gangsters have “killed a piece of her heart” when they shot her 19-year-old son dead.
Natalie Hendricks, 35, says her son Marcellino “Deaton” Hendricks was murdered while he was standing with his friends at a shop near their Lotus River home on Tuesday night.
The emotional mom says her son was a born-again Christian who never bothered with gangsters.
“His confirmation was in 2017, he was a Grade 11 learner at Zeekoevlei High School.
“He was such a lovable child, anyone can vouch that he was a sweet child, I’m not saying this because he was my child.
“They took a piece of my heart when they took him, he was my life, I don’t know what to do anymore,” says Natalie.
She says her son left the house on Tuesday night to go to the shop but ended up standing and chatting with his friends.
“We heard gunshots and when we went out, we saw him on the ground,” says Natalie.
“He was still breathing but unfortunately died in my arms, I watched him die.
“We don’t know why he was shot and who shot him.”
The mom says all she has left of her son are fond memories: “And I wear his favourite clothing items to feel closer to him.”
SAPS’ Captain FC van Wyk says Grassy Park cops are investigating the case.
“A murder case was opened after a shooting on Tuesday at about 8.30pm at Sixth Avenue, Lotus River, where a man was shot and fatally wounded.”
He said the motive for the shooting was unknown.