Pregnant mum hacked to death during family holiday
The sickening attack unfolded as she slept.
By Amber Wemyss
September 21 2019
A pregnant woman has tragically died during a holiday after intruders broke into her family's hotel room and stabbed her to death.
Karen Turner, aged just 31, was staying at the Hluleka Nature Reserve in South Africa with her husband Matthew and two-year-old son Hayden when the couple were attacked.
According to police, two men armed with knives stormed the family's room on Tuesday before unleashing the sickening attack at around 3am while the family slept.
Karen, who was three-months pregnant at the time, was tragically killed at the scene, while Matthew was rushed to hospital for life-saving surgery.
The couple's son was unharmed in the attack.
Speaking to News24, Karen's older brother Ian revealed he had spoken to Matthew following his operation where he learned how the horrific incident unfolded.
'Matthew's recollection was that he was woken up by being stabbed in the stomach by a guy on his side of the bed and there was another chap stabbing my sister,' he revealed.
Ian also told reporters that no personal belongings were taken in the attack, adding that Matthew managed to chase the intruders out before they had the chance.
'They didn't demand anything. They didn't ask for money. They literally came up, stabbed him and my sister,' Ian said.
He admitted he later visited the scene of the crime which he described as a 'bloodbath'.
Police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena has released a statement revealing that friends of the family who were staying next door had woken to shouting coming from the Turner's room.
'The husband opened the door and he was bleeding. The wife was dead on her back. The husband wash rushed to hospital in Mathatha in a stable condition,' Koena said.
She added that there were no signs of forced entry but everything inside the house was upside down.
'It is not year clear what happened but will be determined by the investigation,' she concluded.
During his interview with News24, Ian dismissed growing speculation that Matthew was involved in his sister's death.
'I am very close to them. We spend a lot of time with them. There is no way that domestic violence is even a possibility,' he said.
The investigation is still underway.
Originally published as Pregnant mum hacked to death during family holiday