A toddler was found in the public toilets of a taxi rank at Alex Mall in Alexandra on 3 March at about 6pm.
This was after members of the public spotted the little boy who seemed to have been abandoned. The child was then taken to Alexandra Police Station.
Alex police spokesperson Sergeant Simphiwe Mbatha confirmed that the parents came to the station a few hours later and took him home.
The South African Police Service offered the following tips when parents are in public spaces with their children:
- Practise basic safety skills with your children.
Make an outing to a mall or park an educational experience in which your children practise checking with you, going to the bathroom with a friend and finding adults who may be able to help if they need assistance.
Do not let your children wear clothing or carry items that bear their names in public. It makes it too easy for a stranger to approach them.
- You must know where your children are at all times. Know their friends and be clear with them about the places and homes they may visit.
- Children must know that if he/she/they become separated from you in a store or shopping mall, he/she/they must go to a store employee or cashier for help immediately.
- Never leave children unattended in a vehicle, whether it is running or not
- Children must know how to contact you, the police or another close relative in an emergency
- Children must know their full name, age, telephone number and address.
