MISSING TEEN FOUND
A 15-year-old, possibly gay, Johannesburg teen who appears to have run away from home has been found.
Daniel Da Costa Nunes apparently walked out of his Aspen Hills Estate home in the South of Johannesburg on Monday afternoon.
His concerned parents issued a request for the gay community, through Mr. Gay South Africa’s Coenie Kukkuk, to be on the lookout for the young man.
On Tuesday, Daniel was found at OR Tambo Airport but managed to evade the police. CCTV footage at the airport showed him moving towards a taxi rank.
Later that evening Kukkuk reported that Daniel’s father confirmed that the teen had been found again after he had booked into a guest house.
Daniel was taken to the Alberton police station where he met with a trauma counsellor.
It is unclear why Danny might have run away or if the incident was related to his sexual orientation.
Kukkuk said that he had offered to help the family find professional help.
“I just hope that they have learned through this that the gay community are friends and not enemies,” he added.
I am glad he has been found and I hope he will get the help he needs. I must admit I feared the worst when I learned of his disappearance yesterday. There are gay people living in Aspen (Iknow of one couple at least). He is not alone. I just hope his parents make peace with him, whether he is straight or gay, or anything else.
If there are any other incidents of teen attempted suicides, suicides or bullying which happened recently or is happening, please write to us coenie@gayspeak.co.za as we are busy with investigations in this regard.
im 17 and am going to school in the town of newcastle, the amount of anti-gay things said by the teachers is disgusting… And whats worse? My fellow peers nod their heads along with it. Its a shame 🙁
Well Done Coenie
Truly take my hat off to you for the help you offered this family and their Son.
Keep up the great works