A Phoenix family is still grappling with the sudden and shocking death of their daughter, Eden Moonsamy, who allegedly died at the hands of her abusive boyfriend. Over a year later, the family is still waiting for the justice system to bring the murder case to its rightful conclusion. Eden would have turned 21 years old today.
Eden, a bright and determined young woman, had just completed her college exams and was looking forward to the holidays when she left home to visit a friend. Her mother, Kathy Moonsamy, revealed that Eden’s decision to leave was not entirely unexpected. “I was in hospital at the time, and I think she felt lonely without me around, so she messaged her father to say she was going to visit her friend in Bellair and assured us she’d be back soon,” Kathy explained.
As the days went by, Kathy and her family grew concerned when Eden failed to return home and stopped reporting to work. “We spoke every day, and she assured me that she was fine, but we became worried when she hadn’t returned home for almost two weeks and later learned that she had also not been reporting to work and had been working from home, which was something she had never done before,” Kathy said. It was only later that they discovered the “friend” Eden had visited was her boyfriend, someone her family had never met or known about.
According to messages and conversations with Eden’s friends, the boyfriend had allegedly been holding her against her will, cutting her off from work, and isolating her from her loved ones. On December 16, 2023, Kathy received a chilling phone call from the boyfriend, informing her that Eden was having an anxiety attack and had been taken to King Edward Hospital. “When we saw Eden, she was in such a bad state. We were told that she suffered an aneurysm, her pupils were dilated, and it looked like her brain was stretched to the last limit. She couldn’t talk or breathe and had to be put on a ventilator – it was really heartbreaking to see my daughter in a state of helplessness,” Kathy cried.
As Eden’s condition worsened, her family discovered disturbing evidence that raised further suspicions about the boyfriend’s involvement. “We were informed by the boyfriend that Eden suffered an anxiety attack around 12 pm, but after scrutinising her phone, we realised that someone had been making expensive online purchases, buying men’s clothing with her banking app, around the same time,” Kathy said. Eden’s friends later revealed the full extent of her suffering, telling Kathy that Eden had confided in them about the boyfriend’s abuse. “They informed us that Eden told them that she was in an abusive relationship and her boyfriend would hit her on hidden body parts and if he hurt her on the face, she would use make-up to cover up the bruises,” Kathy said.
The investigation into Eden’s death revealed multiple bruises and lacerations on her body, as well as a powerful, undissolved drug in her system. “We believe the drug was forced down her throat before she was brought into hospital,” Kathy said. Eden passed away on December 23, 2023, and her family has been left seeking justice ever since. “It’s been over a year, and we are still waiting for justice. Nothing has been done, there has been no arrest, and no meaningful progress towards accountability,” Kathy said, expressing her frustration and grief.
In her emotional appeal, Kathy demanded that the investigation be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that those responsible be held accountable. “I demand that this investigation be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that those responsible are held accountable under the full weight of the law. My daughter was not just a statistic; she was a beloved daughter, a sister, a friend. She was only 19 and had dreams, hopes, and a future that was stolen from her,” Kathy said, calling on the justice system to take action.
SAPS eThekwini District communication commander, Captain Carmen Rhynes, confirmed that the case is still under investigation. “The case is still under investigation. SAPS is working closely with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The mother of the deceased has been kept informed of the investigation regularly,” she said.
