THE 21-year-old woman who allegedly abandoned her new born baby in the bushes near the Engen uShaka Convenience last week, appeared in the Durban Magistrate court on Monday.
The baby was spotted by petrol attendant, Kaplan Mtolo while he was returning from lunch. According to police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala, the baby was found at around 4pm and was taken to hospital for medical attention and later to a place of safety.
Gwala confirmed that the woman was arrested on Thursday afternoon for child abandonment. “A case of child neglect is being investigated by Durban Central Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit. She appeared in the Durban Magistrates Court on Monday, 10 June 2019,” she said.
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Meanwhile, owner of the convenience store, Shaza Ballim, said the woman arrived at the filling station on Thursday saying she wanted her baby.
“She came in crying. She was very upset, very distraught. She said she had seen the post and she had given the baby to somebody to care for until she finished her exams. She was then going to take the baby and go home. She said she saw the post and she wanted her baby back. She was just very inconsolable,” Ballim said.
“We waited for her to calm down and tried to tell her that the baby had been put in protective care services. We got hold of her mother and tried to get her family here. Her mother came down and we called the investigating officers to come in and speak to them,” he said.
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