Abandoned baby placed in safety home
A baby found in Youngs Avenue on Sunday afternoon has been taken to a place of safety.
BEREA police social crime prevention members have taken an abandoned baby boy to a place of safety.
According to Lieutenant PN Naidoo, communications officer at Berea Police Station, officers were alerted to the baby after the owner of a property in Youngs Avenue, a stones throw from DUT found the baby abandoned outside her yard near a garage door on the road on Sunday afternoon.
The woman was allegedly reversing out of her driveway when she heard a baby crying. It was then that she and saw the infant child wrapped in a green hospital blanket lying next to a garage door in the shared driveway opposite her garage. She checked with neighbours and people from the flat across the road if anyone knew the child or mother and immediately contacted the police.
“Members went to the property to fetch the baby and kept the baby overnight.”
Naidoo said police tried to get the baby to an organisation for babies needing further care but unfortunately the facilities were unable to assist although they provided formula, nappies and clothes.
“We have managed to get the the baby to a place of safety at a shelter in KwaDabeka,” Naidoo added.
He said the baby, who is believed to be a few days old, was taken by members of Berea’s crime prevention team for a court order to get a district surgeon to check that he had a clean bill of health before being taken to a place of safety.
A policeman, who wished to remain anonymous, said that this was not the first baby to be found abandoned in the vicinity of DUT in recent months. Berea Mail passed through Youngs Avenue this morning and none of the students had any idea that a child was found abandoned on the road. Naidoo said he could not comment on whether the baby belonged to a student as that would be speculating.
Meanwhile, police are looking for the mother of the baby. Anyone with information of the whereabouts of the baby’s family can contact Captain Khanyile on 031 277 1068/1065.
What a sad story. Another baby abandoned by a mother who clearly cannot accept responsibility for her actions. What concerns me though is that this story speculate that it is a DUT student who could be the mother. So, if this baby was found in a blanket near Kings Park stadium, would be speculate about one of the Sharks players being responsible. If this baby was found outside the City Hall, would we speculate about the Mayor or a Councillor being responsible. If the baby was found outside the Berea Police Station, would we speculate about one of our hard working police officers. I hope that this child will have a safe and secure future – and that it finds a loving home.