St Stithians Teen Couple: Cameron Waldeck-Cooks and Ethan Coetzee’s Sporting Lives Before Tragedy

• Cameron Waldeck-Cooks and Ethan Coetzee reportedly began dating in September 2025 while both attended St Stithians College
• Cellphone records shared by Cameron's family revealed allegations of jealousy, digital monitoring and over 22,000 messages in a single month
• Cameron's family has called for a full inquest into her death, while Ethan's family has disputed allegations linking him to it

The relationship between St Stithians College teenagers Cameron Waldeck-Cooks and Ethan Coetzee has come under scrutiny following their deaths at a lodge near Sabie, Mpumalanga, on 3 August 2026.

Cameron, 17, was a Grade 11 pupil at St Stithians Girls' College, where she competed as a rower and netball player. Ethan, 19, had matriculated from the boys' college in 2025, having played first-team rugby. The two reportedly began dating around September 2025, when Cameron was in Grade 10 and Ethan was finishing matric.

How the relationship unfolded

During the period they were together, Cameron participated in an exchange programme at Holy Innocents' Episcopal School in Atlanta, United States. Cellphone records subsequently shared by Cameron's family representatives pointed to growing concerns about the nature of the relationship.

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Those records reportedly showed that Ethan sent Cameron more than 22,000 WhatsApp messages over four weeks in February 2026, allegedly including declarations of affection alongside demands and accusations.

Further allegations suggested that Ethan sought access to Cameron's phone and social media accounts and requested to monitor her study sessions via Microsoft Teams. He reportedly also wanted Cameron to behave as his wife. These claims have raised questions about possible coercive control, though they remain subject to investigation and do not constitute established findings of criminal responsibility.

Events leading up to their deaths

According to cellphone records described by Cameron's family representatives, the relationship ended in early July 2026. Reports indicate Ethan continued to contact Cameron after the reported breakup and allegedly asked her not to inform his parents of the separation.

In early August, Cameron travelled to Sabie to take part in preparations for the Gold level of The President's Award for Youth Empowerment, which involves a multi-day adventure journey. She had been invited to join two families on the hiking trip. Ethan was also present.

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On the morning of 3 August, both teenagers were found dead at their accommodation at the Waterval self-catering lodge near Sabie. Police initially opened an inquest, but subsequently added a murder investigation.

Cameron's family has raised concerns about the handling of cellphone evidence and called for a thorough investigation and a full inquest into her death. Ethan's family, in a statement reported by the media, disputed any suggestion that he was involved in Cameron's death, describing him as kind, gentle and loyal and saying there had been no apparent signs of an altercation.

The full circumstances surrounding the teenagers' deaths remain under investigation by Mpumalanga police.

Cameron and Ethan's deaths: New claims emerge

Briefly News previously reported that the deaths of Cameron Waldeck-Cooks and Ethan Coetzee have taken a fresh turn

According to reports based on information shared by Cameron’s family representatives, Ethan allegedly sent her more than 22,000 WhatsApp messages over four weeks.

Source: Briefly News