A mom’s Valentine’s Day turned into heartbreak when she learnt her 21-year-old son had been lying in a mortuary for months after a hit-and-run crash in Bellville — a case that now has a Western Cape MP demanding answers from police.
Abigail Scott says the reality of her son Alex’s death has still not sunk in.
“I last saw Alex on 23 November. I still have the WhatsApp messages on my phone because he was staying at the Paint City Safe Space Shelter,” she said.
When he stopped making contact, the family began searching desperately.
“For two months, we went to every shelter, but we couldn’t find Alex. We even went to the police station to fill out a missing persons report.
“But I knew something was wrong because Alex would have phoned me or his sister.”
The truth only emerged months later.
“On Valentine’s Day, police contacted my daughter to say Alex had been in the mortuary since 30 November,” Scott said.
Documents seen by the Daily Voice state that a Mercedes-Benz allegedly knocked down a pedestrian in Bellville on 30 November 2025 and left the scene. The driver was allegedly later collected by a marked police vehicle.
It is further alleged that the driver was an off-duty police officer.
Police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut confirmed that a culpable homicide case was opened following Alex’s death.
“A culpable homicide case docket was registered following the death of a male on 30 November 2025, and the investigation remains ongoing.
“It is further alleged that an off-duty police officer was the driver of the vehicle involved, and that he was removed from the scene by two police officers attached to Ravensmead police station.
“These serious allegations are not taken lightly by SAPS management, and are now the subject of a formal investigation.
“Should any SAPS member be found to have acted unlawfully, they will face the consequences.
“As the investigation has not yet been finalised, we will refrain from providing additional comment at this premature stage,” he said.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping told the Daily Voice the matter does not fall under its mandate.
Traut declined to say whether the alleged officer has been suspended, repeating that the investigation is ongoing.
MP demands answers
The case has now reached Parliament, with Western Cape MP Nicholas Gotsell raising concerns about the slow pace of the investigation and the possibility of a cover-up.
Gotsell said the Democratic Alliance is “deeply concerned” that months have passed without clear answers for the Scott family.
“Even more concerning is the lack of transparency around the officers who allegedly assisted after the collision. If it is true that the driver was removed from the scene before investigators arrived, this raises extremely serious questions about defeating the ends of justice,” he said.
“While the investigation must determine exactly who was responsible for the collision itself, the circumstances that have emerged publicly point to the possibility of a cover-up that cannot be ignored.”
In parliamentary questions submitted on 26 February, Gotsell asked the Minister of Police to provide full details of the incident that claimed Scott’s life, including:
- When and where the crash happened
- The vehicle involved
- What investigators believe unfolded that night
- Whether alcohol or toxicology tests were conducted on the alleged driver
- Whether CCTV or traffic camera footage was secured
- Whether the matter was referred to Ipid
He said the Scott family “deserves answers after months of uncertainty”.
‘All I want is my baby back’
After learning only in February that Alex had been in the mortuary since the night of the crash, the family is now preparing to lay him to rest on 10 March.
Abigail says she is dreading the funeral.
“He is still my little boy, I can’t let him go. I’m dreading the funeral, seeing the coffin go down; I don’t know if I can handle it.
“This is so hard, all I want is my baby back, but he is gone.”
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