Chrizelda Coetzee, a Cape Town police force member, died on July 14, 2020, in her apartment while isolating as she had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
The 38 years old was a sergeant and had been in the police service for 20 years.
Speaking to News24, her sister Cindy said Chrizelda began feeling ill on July 5 and was taken to hospital. While she had a high fever, she could not be admitted until she had been tested for COVID-19. After two days of waiting, test results confirmed that Chrizelda has COVID-19.
The sergeant made the decision to isolate by herself in her Tygervalley apartment.
“I spoke to her every day. On Friday, I phoned her and she said she is fine. She is resting, drinking her Oros and sleeping. That’s all she wanted to do,” Cindy said. “I phoned her on Saturday and it rang once and died. I think her battery went flat.”
Cindy then called her sister’s neighbours to ask them to check on her. She was found unresponsive, and an ambulance was called swiftly. It is believed that Chrizelda had slipped into a coma and was already dead when she was found.