ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
ThatsLife
  • WIN
  • News
  • Real Life
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Pets
  • Your Stars
  • Puzzles
  • Podcasts
  • Video
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. News

Boat family face being homeless after their two year old Zeinobiyah Soetekouw dies

They've been told they can't live on the boat - by Riah Matthews
  • 29 Jul 2019

The mum of a little girl who died after falling off the family's boat and drowning in the Hawkesbury River, NSW, has written a blog post about how the family is copy after the tragic death.

Zeinobiyah Soetekouw, three, died on July 9 after she fell off their boat Sumbawa and drowned. The toddler was found by water police but couldn't be revived. 

She was part of a family of 12 who gave up their life in Tasmania two and a half years ago to travel Australia on a boat.

Her mum Rebecca Soetekouw has written a piece on her blog titled 'Not becoming homeless' about the hardship they've faced in the 20 days since her daughter's death. 

'Child services wont let us move back onto Sumbawa. They have deemed it too small. So now we have lost the only place that we called home, for the last 2.5 years,' wrote Rebecca.

'So we have been in emergency housing for the last nearly 3 weeks. But that cannot happen anymore...we are struggling to not be homeless, after everything that has happened.'

xx

Zeinobiyah Soetekouw's mum Rebecca.

She goes on to describe how she and her husband Steve are having flashbacks where they believe for a moment that their little girl is still alive.

'This makes our days harder, as it feels, for the briefest moment, that she is back with us. Then reality sets in,' she wrote.

Rebecca claims that the large family have been told by Child Services that they have to leave their family housing today (July 29). The family owns a house in Tasmania but say they can't go back because it's rented out. 

The family were told they can't live back on the boat as it's not safe. 

'Child services had also asked that all the kids have check-ups at the local hospital,' explains Rebecca.

She said Maritime has given them a deadline of August 22 to fix Sumbawa to make her seaworthy.

xxx

(Left) The family on their yacht and (right) Zeinobiyah Soetekouw.

(Left) The family on their yacht and (right) Zeinobiyah Soetekouw. CREDIT: Facebook.
Boat family face being homeless after their two year old Zeinobiyah Soetekouw dies
Zeinobiyah Soetekouw who drowned in the Hawkesbury River. CREDIT: Go Fund Me.

Describing herself as 'emotionally ruined', Rebecca said she even blamed her daughter for the situation.

'I can’t help but get angry – angry at the situation, angry at the government, angry at myself and even angry at Zeinobiyah,' wrote Rebecca. 'If she hadn’t of died, none of this would have happened.'

A friend of the family has started a Go Fund Me to help the family with welfare costs which has already raised over $6000.

'As you can understand, this has been a very difficult time for the family. They have shown enormous bravery in the wake of their heartache. They are extremely grateful for all of the support, and also just need some privacy to grieve at the moment,' wrote Alex Vaughan, the organiser. 

  • News
  • Real Life
Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews is the Deputy Editor for that’s life! She started her journalism career in the UK at the Nottingham Post before moving to Australia and working on that's life! and the podcast How I Survived. Her work has also been published in the Daily Mail, Chat, Woman, Pick Me Up, Take a Break, Real People and on Newidea.com.au

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Subscribe to That's Life!

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to That's Life!

Recommended to you

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis
Watch 0:37

There's A Better, Faster Way To Predict Sepsis

{headline}

{headline}

Toddler who drowned in the Hawkesbury was from family on yacht trip around Australia

Toddler who drowned in the Hawkesbury was from family on yacht trip around Australia

Holly the heart hero

Holly the heart hero

30-year heartbreak  - who killed Kerry Turner?

30-year heartbreak - who killed Kerry Turner?

My runny nose was cancer

My runny nose was cancer

{headline}

{headline}

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

Horror at the servo - I was abducted and raped

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

My husband forgot I was his wife so we wed twice

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

Empty nesters... so we adopted SEVEN kids!

{headline}

{headline}

How chalk found me love!

How chalk found me love!

I SHAVED my head on my WEDDING day!

I SHAVED my head on my WEDDING day!

Born with no hands - but nothing will stop my boy

Born with no hands - but nothing will stop my boy

I LOVE the skin I'm in!

I LOVE the skin I'm in!

I became an ice addict at 40 - Now I'm helping others

I became an ice addict at 40 - Now I'm helping others

There was no room for my boy's brain

There was no room for my boy's brain

Aussie Dad's mission - I had two months to save my girl's life

Aussie Dad's mission - I had two months to save my girl's life

ThatsLife
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy
ThatsLife Magazine Subscribe
  • Gold Club
  • Online Entry FAQ
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Competitions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • New Idea
  • Who
  • Girlfriend
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • New Idea food
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • Home Beautiful
  • All Recipes
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • 7mate
  • 7Sport
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to That's Life!-+ save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to That's Life!