It has been five days since Angeline was found dead buried in her backyard (on June 10, 2024), and the autopsy report stating that the cause of death was blunt force trauma on her head was released on the same day. All the wounds and bruises on girl’s body were forensic evidence that she was severely beaten before she was murdered. And only moments after people started to grieve, the police spokesman reportedly also stated that test results have come back positive on sexual abuse, adding more pain to this already heartbreaking case.

On the same day that the body was discovered, eight people were brought in by the police as suspects to this murder, including Angeline’s adopted mother Margriet and her two daughters, Christina and Yvonne.

It only took a few hours before the police got a full confession from one of the suspects, Agustinus Tae, who is Margriet’s former house assistant. He reportedly made a full confession to the sexual assault and murder, and all other suspects were released and no longer suspects related this murder case.

As soon as the news on the breakthrough in solving this murder case hit the local and national news, it gained a serious response from different communities spread in the nationwide society, especially from those in Bali.

Over three weeks being in the dark on Angeline’s whereabouts while she was buried in plain sight, lead people to most parties to believe that something just did not seem quite right. The majority of the public opinion has demanded this case to be thoroughly investigated, working all angles while avoiding taking premature conclusions, as there were details in this case that were reportedly deemed to be suspicious and indicated that the girl’s adopted mother, Margriet, might have been involved in this case.

As the investigation continues, the police spokesman reportedly admitted that Agustinus’ statements were indeed not consistent. Agustinus also reportedly admitted to Akbar Faisal (Member of the Third Commission of the House of Representatives) that Margriet promised him a 2 billion Rupiahs reward for murdering Angeline.

The alleged motive reportedly tied to Margriet is the inheritance left to Angeline by her adopted father, Margriet’s late husband, an American national named Douglas Scarborough. However, the police has reportedly not made any official statement to comment on this particular allegation. The police stated that they will work this angle as well in conducting this investigation furthermore.

Siti Sapurah from Denpasar’s Women and Children Integrated Service Center (P2TP2A) reportedly stated that in her perspective and opinion, Agustinus' role is merely as a fall guy and that he was offered the reward to confess to a murder he did not commit. She reportedly stated that she has been following the case closely and obtained information from different parties, and therefore demanded the police to conduct thorough and transparent investigation.

Today, Monday, June 15, 2015, after reportedly being escorted from the villa she was temporarily staying at in Canggu area, Margriet went through over three hours of questioning, which led to her being held at Mapolda Bali for suspect for child neglect. However, given the circumstances and all other details that according to many parties don’t quite add up, the investigators are reportedly searching for more evidence to get to the bottom of things to find out whether Margriet should be treated as suspect in this murder investigation.

People are still mourning for this tragic loss, as well as the tragedy this is for humanity. Last Saturday (June 13, 2024) Safe Childhood’s foundation held a candle light memorial service for Angeline at Pantai Matahari Terbit in Sanur, which was attended by over 3,000 people from around the island. Countless people also kept coming by to the house where Angeline spent her days until her very last, laying down flowers, stuffed animals, cards and wishes in the memory of this little girl, and other items to express their love, sympathy and loss.

Angeline’s case has brought together so many different elements of the island's society to work harder in each and every role assigned to them in avoiding these kinds of horrible tragedies to ever happen again to any child around any of us.