Child’s horror discovery of parents’ bodies

A HORROR New Year’s Day shooting left a former police officer and his estranged wife dead, and their young daughter – who made the grim discovery of their bodies – traumatised.

The 12-year-old girl, who had been sleeping in the room next door, was shocked awake by the gunshots at about 4.30am on Tuesday.

Her younger brother, Steph, 9, was at a sleepover on their uncle’s neighbouring farm.

The couple – Stephanus "Fanus” Rautenbach, 48, and Warrant Officer Tessa Steyn, 43, who was based at the Motherwell police station – were involved in a bitter divorce battle at the time.

The family of four lived on a dairy farm in Rocklands, just outside Port Elizabeth.

Rautenbach worked at the Motherwell murder and robbery unit until it was shut down in 2006.

He was subsequently employed at a security company.