UPDATE: Mother of Themisa Hospital child arrested for child negligence

A 29-year-old woman was arrested on charges of child negligence on November 18.

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According to Captain Jethro Mtshali, spokesperson for Kempton Park SAPS, the woman was arrested at the Kempton Park SAPS after she admitted to abandoning her child.

For about three days community members were left heartbroken following posts of a 19-month-old boy found wandering the streets of Kempton Park CBD.

The child was allegedly found on November 14, which led to Tembisa Hospital and Kempton Park SAPS issuing statements and posters asking the community to assist them in locating the family of the toddler.

“While patrolling and performing their normal duties along Central Avenue in Kempton Park CBD, officers were approached by a member of the public with a child,” said Mtshali before the mother’s arrest.

“These community members claimed that the child was wandering around alone.

“The child was, at the time, believed to not be in a healthy condition and was taken to Tembisa Hospital for treatment. A case of child negligence was opened.”

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Searches for the child’s next of kin then ensued.

“The community circulated the information on social media. This led to the mother of the child coming to the police after she kept getting messages from various people that she is being sought by police,” said Mtshali.

“On her arrival at the police station on November 18, she was interviewed by members of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.

“She was arrested after she said she left her 19-month-old boy unattended on the corner of Central Avenue and Pretoria Road, next to the taxi rank on November 14.”

The suspect, a Birch Acres resident, appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrates Court on November 21.

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