Father hands himself over to Pretoria police after allegedly kidnapping newborn in KZN

The man accused of kidnapping his six-day-old baby, Megan de Lange, from her mother’s house in Richards Bay, has handed himself over to the police, reports Zululand Observer.

King Cetshwayo Cluster spokesperson, Captain Mbongeni Mdlalose, said the case of kidnapping was closed this week after the father visited a police station in Pretoria with his legal team and the newborn child.

“The man handed in documents which suggest that the mother and he had an agreement for him to adopt the child. The matter is being handled legally,” said Mdlalose.

A nationwide search was launched for the baby after her mother, 23-year-old Jolene de Lange, filed a kidnapping case at Richards Bay SAPS last week.

Shortly afterwards, relatives of the kidnapping-accused man posted screenshots of conversations where the mother agreed to give her child up for adoption to the father and his wife.

However, speaking to the Zululand Observer, De Lange said she was forced to sign papers which she did not think were legally binding.

She said she had been involved in an extramarital relationship with the man she used to work for.

She said there were no talks of the adoption after Megan was born. She also said that it was not confirmed if the man who took the child was in fact the biological father, as she was also sexually involved with another man at the time of conception.

When approached for comment regarding the case being closed, the mother maintained that there was a misunderstanding and said the case was still ongoing.

“I have not had any feedback from the police or the whereabouts of my child.”

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