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Missing Stellenbosch Couple Found Dead In Car In Open Ditch

The love story between Leila Lees, 18, and Ethan Kirkland, 19, ended in tragedy as both disappeared with a trace — well, until recently.

It turned out the car the two were in likely lost traction and tumbled into a ditch near an area with dense vegetation. Local authorities found the wrecked vehicle both were in and recovered the bodies.

The couple was reported missing on Friday in Stellenbosch, and the police authorities and emergency services began a frantic search for them. They eventually located a vehicle in a large pit filled with water, and the descriptions matched those of the missing couple.

Since the discovery, some South Africans have moved for prayers for the safety of the couple to complaints about the risk such a ditch posed and why it was there in the open with no safety bars to secure the place.

The large open pit that swallowed the maroon Subaru Forester in which Leila Lees and Ethan Kirkland were travelling has been a source of controversy in the town, with residents complaining that it poses a risk to not just people but also property in the area.

It remains to be seen if the ditch will be secured following the tragedy.

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