Pictured: Cameila Thomas, 18, before her Year 12 formal
The devastated mother of an 18-year-old woman stabbed to death at the home she shared with her boyfriend has remembered her daughter as a ‘ray of sunshine’ – before she broke down and said ‘it’s horrific way for any girl to die’.
Cameila Thomas planned on spending the evening of August 4 doing craft with her mum Corneli Minnaar, but she was distracted with her phone and suddenly said at 3pm that she had to go home to Spearwood, in Perth’s south, to ‘sort something out’.
She hopped on a bus to Fremantle with her 15-year-old brother and got off a few stops before him – it was the last time she would ever speak her family.
About an hour later, the teenager made a frantic call to a friend claiming she had stabbed herself in the stomach and needed a lift to Spearwood Medical Centre immediately.
Her friend raced to the property to try and save Cameila’s life, but she lost consciousness in the car before she had a chance to tell anyone what happened.
Paramedics were called to the centre at about 4.30pm and took her to Fiona Stanley Hospital for surgery, but Ms Minnaar told Daily Mail Australia she lost too much blood.
Cameila Thomas (pictured), 18, died in the home she shared with her boyfriend in Spearwood, Perth
Cameila Thomas (picture right) and her mother Corneli Minnaar (left), 39, shared a very close bond
Pictured: Corneli Minnaar (left), Cameila and one of her little brothers enjoying a day at the beach
‘Doctors tried to stabilise her after the operation and tried to bring her back to life, but they couldn’t,’ the 39-year-old said.
She also doesn’t know how long her daughter waited between when she was stabbed and when she made the phone call.
Police said in a statement that a 17-year-old boy was assisting them with enquiries, but he was released amid the ongoing investigation.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the 17-year-old had anything to do with Cameila Thomas’ death.
The shattered mum-of-three explained that Cameila was about to finish Year 12, but moved into a granny flat with her boyfriend out the back of his mother’s house on Galian Way several months prior.
They met at school and had been together for a year, but the make-up artist said he daughter was ‘very responsible’ and lived in her own one-bedroom flat prior.
She visited her mum and two little brothers about four times a week, during which time Ms Minnaar tried to ask if everything in her life was okay.
Cameila moved into a one-bedroom flat several months ago, before she moved into a granny flat with her boyfriend because it was cheaper
Cameila wanted tp travel the world with friends when she graduated school, and thought about becoming a marine biologist
Pictured: Cameila with her two little brothers when she was younger. Even though she didn’t live at home, she visited about four times a week
‘With teenagers, the more you talk the more they push you away, so I had to be careful,’ she said.
Ms Minnaar wishes she could have stopped her daughter from leaving her sight that day.
‘It’s really sad that such a beautiful kid gets taken away, but of course we all think we could have forced her to stay,’ she said.
‘I can’t think about that.’
When asked how she will remember her only daughter, Ms Minnaar broke down.
‘Cameila makes me proud to be a mum even thought she’s not here anymore,’ she said.
‘She loved us so much and she was such a happy young girl. Everyone loved her.’
Cameila’s family are originally from South Africa and raised money to fly her father and grandparents to Australia for the funeral
Pictured: Cameila (left) with her mother Corneli Minnaar (centre), and her two brothers
Pictured: Cameila with her brothers and grandparents, who live in South Africa
Cameila’s family are originally from South Africa and started a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money to fly her father and grandparents to Australia.
‘In these Covid times travelling from country to country is expensive, but what parent or grandparent wouldn’t move heaven and earth to be there in these precious last moments,’ the fundraiser read.
With the help of community in Perth and South Africa, Cameila’s grandparents arrived in Western Australia on Wednesday and will spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.
Her father will arrive in the coming weeks.
Cameila’s best friend Grace Holtham said that the teenager was ‘someone that everybody needed in their life’.
Pictured: Cameila (right) with her best friend Grace Holtham (left). Grace and her family were devastated when they hear the horrific news
Pictured: Forensic investigators at the scene where Cameila was stabbed. No one has been arrested
Detectives brought a 17-year-old boy in for questioning after Cameila was stabbed, but he was released amid ongoing investigations
‘She was an amazing person who made everyone smile and blessed so many people with her beautiful laugh and everyone loved her.
She was the best friend I have ever had, she always made me feel loved and wanted.’
‘I always called her my sunshine because she always cleared my clouds of worry and sadness so I found it sweet when the day after her passing it was a beautiful sunny day after constant stormy weather.’
In a heartfelt message to her friend, Grace said: Cameila, you are so loved and missed by so many, you were taken from this life far too early, none of this feels like it’s real and nobody will ever forget you.’
Cameila’s school friends banded together and bought her family flowers after she died
Pictured: Gifts and trinkets Cameila’s friends brought Corneli Minnaar after the teenager died
‘I love you so much gorgeous girl. Rest in peace angel.’
Tributes have also been pouring in for her on social media.
‘Oh Cameila, you were taken way too soon, too abruptly and in a brutal and undeserving way. Just last month you turned 18,’ one woman wrote.
‘We will always remember you as the loving, caring and gentle daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, niece and friend. You were loved by many and will forever be in our hearts girl.’
Another wrote: Cameila’s life faded very soon and in sad circumstances, there is a wound that is open and there is no explanation for situations like this.’
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