Police initially opened an inquest before adding a murder investigation, as the parents said her death had left an immeasurable void and announced plans for a memorial later in August. The South African Police Service (Saps) initially opened an inquest docket, but investigators added a murder case after postmortem results. In a statement on Facebook, Waldeck-Cooks’ parents, Derrick Cooks and Claire Waldeck-Cooks, said they were notified on the morning of 3 August that Graham Coetzee discovered her body. She approached life with resilience, quiet strength and a genuine care for those around her,” St Stithians College said. The school sent its deep condolences to the Waldeck-Cooks family as well as Coetzee’s family, friends, and the class of 2025.