Prince Edward got an extremely upsetting update about a young loss who was killed in pursuit of her dream award.
According to reports, the body of 17-year-old Cameron Waldeck-Cooks was found in a room of a lodge in Mpumalanga, South Africa.
On August 3, she was discovered lifeless during a five-day hiking trip, associated with her efforts for The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment.
The accolade was part of the South African implementation of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, for which participants are required to undertake a multi-day adventurous journey.
The students of St Stithians Girls’ College, alongside 19-year-old Ethan Coetzee, were both found dead.
It has been said that Cameron passed away due to strangulation, whereas Ethan died by suicide.
Cameron’s parents, Derrick Cooks and Claire Waldeck-Cooks, issued a statement that reads, “We were notified on the morning of 3rd of August 2026 that Graham Coetzee discovered her body.
“We appointed an independent forensic pathologist who has advised us that his preliminary findings indicate that Cameron died as a result of strangulation and suffocation.
“The police have confirmed that they have opened a murder investigation.”
The devastated parents mourned their “kind-hearted, warm and determined” daughter in a heartfelt message.
2026-08-11 13:20:00
