“In appearance prediction across aging, children get a significant place because their growth of faces is different to adults. In formative years, shape variants of the face takes precedence over texture variants. However in adulthood, texture variants take precedence over the shape variants of the face,” said Mathe.
Following Ronewa’s disappearance, Nkoane’s boyfriend was arrested in January 2014 but the matter was provisionally withdrawn from the Nigel magistrate’s court and has since become a cold case, hence a portrait was compiled.
At the time, police said the man told them that he had allegedly received a phone call from the child’s nanny who he later accused of kidnapping Ronewa.
Police said on further investigation, they found that no such phone call was ever received by him and that no-one had ever seen the so-called nanny besides him.
The case was later withdrawn.
Mathe said age progression portraits are only preformed upon request.
“It remains a very challenging task as so many factors are involved in its execution. It is also heavily dependent on the number of suitable photographic images that are received from the family. This includes images of the missing child, as well as from the parents and siblings, preferably at the same age that the missing child is presumed to be and from similar angles.
“In addition, it is crucial that as much information about the missing child is shared with the forensic artist. This information includes, but is not limited to lifestyle, personal habits as well as family genetics. It is also important to note that an age progression is an investigative tool that offers recognition and not a means to identify a missing child as a carbon copy image. It is used to [re]ignite interest and garner possible leads when all other investigative leads have been exhausted. In terms of identification, one would still need to confirm using any of the primary identifiers [DNA, fingerprints or dental records],” Mathe said.