LISTEN: Three infants found in dustbins in Joburg North
FOURWAYS – Two of the babies were found dumped in a dustbin on the same morning, 10 July. Is this the new trend?
Three dead babies were discovered within two days in Douglasdale and surrounding areas. One was found on Sunday and another was discovered on Monday morning. When Fourways Review contacted ER24 and Douglasdale Police Station, it became clear that this is a common occurrence.
The spokesperson for Douglasdale Police Station Captain Mpho Kgasoane said, “One stillborn was found on Sunday 9 July [in the morning] on the corner Douglas Drive and Leslie Avenue, whilst the other one was found on Monday morning on the corner of Malgas Avenue [and Honey Guide Road ] in Douglasdale.”
“We advise community members not to throw away babies but to rather contact the Johannesburg Child Welfare Department,” said Kgasoane. “We also appeal to anyone with information that might assist the police investigations to contact Douglasdale police.”
The baby who was found in the dustbin on Honey Guide Road in Douglasdale was discovered by a displaced person going through the trash. When he discovered the baby he notified security guards who phoned Douglasdale police and ER24.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and discovered the baby boy at 10.10am wrapped in cloth and plastic. “The baby was a full-term baby and had been deceased for some time,” said, Russell Meiring, the spokesperson for ER24.
LISTEN to a paramedic talk about what it’s like to find abandoned babies
ER24 declared the baby dead and handed the body over to the Douglasdale police. “The post-mortem will tell how long the baby has been dead before he was discovered,” said Meiring. A foetus was discovered in Weltevreden Park at 7 am on 10 July, also in a rubbish bin. He also added that the foetus was about seven months into its development. The gender is unknown.
No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.
Douglasdale Police Station’s details: 011 699 1333; 0860010111.
Johannesburg Child Welfare details: 011 298 8500
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