Instead of celebrating their only child’s seventh birthday at the ice rink on Saturday, the parents of little Shaylynn Arendse will now be burying her.
The child and her nanny were tragically killed in a hit and run incident last week.
Nanny Maureen Abrahams, 67, was laid to rest on Wednesday while Shaylynn’s family cancelled her birthday party and instead made plans for her funeral.
On Wednesday night, family members also held a prayer service “to remember her spirit”.
The Grade 1 pupil at Strandfontein Primary School had been standing on the pavement with Maureen at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Strandfontein Road in Lotus River on Thursday and were on their way to Pick 'n Pay when the driver of a white VW Golf jumped a red robot, lost control of the car and struck them.
GONE: Shaylynn Arendse will be buried on Saturday
Shaylynn was flung into the air and died instantly while Maureen passed away later in hospital.
The driver, Moegamat Rafiek Hayners, 24, drove away from the scene but handed himself over to police on Monday.
He appeared at the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and was released out on R5 000 bail.
He is expected back in court on 12 December.
On Wednesday, Shaylynn’s grief-stricken father, Jason Hendricks, said all they have left of his beautiful little girl are memories and photographs.
He and Shaylynn’s mom, Sharnell Arendse, looked at pictures and videos of past birthdays.
In most of the photos, the angelic child smiles, holds toys or is busy eating, something her dad says she loved doing.
He says Shaylynn was very excited for her seventh birthday and had asked for a party at the ice rink at GrandWest.
The dad says they had already booked and were even going to buy Shaylynn her own skates.
“She first wanted a pamper party and then she changed her mind.
LAST PARTY: Shaylynn, second from left, with family and a friend at last birthday party
“So we booked at GrandWest for this Saturday and she wanted her friends and family to be there. But now it will be her funeral,” he says, his voice breaking.
Grandmother Brenda Tommy says this is the first time she will not be able to take a picture of her grandchild on her birthday.
DRIVER: Rafiek Hayners, 24, handed himself over
“My Madam, happy birthday,” the heartbroken ouma said.
“I have so many photos of the previous year’s birthdays and nothing for this year.”
She added Shaylynn “was a huge All Blacks supporter”.
Shaylynn’s funeral takes place at 10am on Saturday at the St Phillips Catholic Church in Strandfontein.