The 33-year-old Nata Primary School teacher had been missing for nearly a month before the discovery was made. The deceased was found along the Sowa Town to Francistown railway line near the Gerald Estate location. Joseph, who had been grappling with postpartum depression (PPD), was reportedly hit by a train according to initial police reports.
The confirmation of her demise came from her brother, Kabelo Joseph, who recounted the heartbreaking ordeal to The Monitor. Kabelo expressed shock and bewilderment at the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and ultimate passing. He revealed that her clothing and belongings found at the scene were unfamiliar, intensifying the mystery of her absence over the past weeks.
The question of whether her death was a result of the train collision or if her body was placed on the railway line to create a misleading narrative remains unanswered. The family is awaiting the results of the post-mortem examination, which is expected to provide clarity on the precise cause of death. Senior Superintendent Paul Molapisi, the No.1 District Officer Commanding, shared that the police had been alerted to her disappearance on July 18 and had been actively searching for her ever since.
The tragic turn of events unfolded on August 12, when Botswana Railway workers reported a collision involving an object with human-like features near the Gerald location.
The police swiftly responded and identified the object as the remains of a female. Joseph’s parents were called to the scene to potentially identify the body, while the official confirmation of her identity and the cause of death is pending the post-mortem results set to be released on Wednesday. The loss of Joseph shines a spotlight on the pressing issue of mental health struggles, especially amongst new mothers dealing with postpartum depression. Investigations into this matter continue.
