Newcastle SAPS locate 10-year-old Reinhardt Little

The search for 10-year-old Reinhardt Little has come to an end and he is safe.

Newcastle SAPS tracked him down and he is currently in their custody. While circumstances are still unclear on why Reinhardt left the house, police investigations are currently underway.

His parents, Shannon and Tara Smith are overjoyed that he is safe. “We are extremely thankful for everyone’s help. The Newcastle community really stands together, if this had been Johannesburg, he would have been gone,” said Tara.

But as thankful as they are, they still don’t know what led to Reinhardt vanishing into the night.

“Every night before he goes to sleep, he has to have a peanut butter sandwich. Last night, he made his sandwich as usual and even teased his brothers,” Tara explained.

This morning, the parents were horrified when Shannon was greeted by an empty bed. “I wake him up every morning at 5.50am for school. When I saw the empty bed, I called for Tara and asked where he was.”

When they couldn’t find him, the frantic search began. Shannon rushed to the SAPS, before continuing the search.

“His whole attitude prior to him running away showed nothing out of the ordinary. He was his usual, playful self,” says Shannon. Tara claims she even spoke to the family’s babysitter. “She also said that Reinhardt didn’t act out of the ordinary.”

While he is safe, Shannon and Tara urge parents to take an active role in their children’s life. “We as parents are often too busy with work, but we need to talk to our children. We need to find out how their day was, who their friends are and if there is anything bugging them,” Tara emphasises.

Shannon says it is also important to ensure your house is securely locked and that your child is unable to slip out unattended.  

The family thanks everyone for their assistance and are now anxiously waiting for Reinhardt’s return home.