Woman arrested for abducting baby attempted suicide two weeks before

The family of the woman who was arrested on Friday for abducting a baby have expressed shock at her actions, saying they felt “shame and embarrassment” at her actions and wanted her to face the full might of the law, The Sowetan reports.

They said they were confused when she contacted them asking for help with the baby, who she claimed was hers, only two weeks after attempting suicide.

Kereleng Ramoisa, 35, was arrested after she was found with baby Mpumelelo in Diepkloof on Friday.

According to her sister Brenda, she attempted to convince her family the baby was hers, and asked her to bring baby formula, which caused suspicion as they were not aware she had been pregnant.

Another sister said she couldn’t understand how Ramoisa could show “such cruelty to steal someone’s child from hospital”, adding that she had visited the accused in prison, who would not talk about why she carried out her alleged crime.

Ramoisa had reportedly miscarried twice prior to allegedly abducting Mpumelelo.

She is expected to appear at the Protea Magistrate’s Court for her bail application on Wednesday.

It was reported on Monday that Mpumelelo’s mother, Bikokuhle Hlatshwayo, alleged that the baby had been sold for R2,500.

READ MORE: Baby abducted at Baragwanath Hospital was ‘bought’ for R2.5K, mother alleges

The baby was abducted from Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

The mother said that she woke to discover that her baby was missing. She further stated that a patient on a bed next to her told her that a woman who claimed to be her mother-in-law came around while she was asleep.

Hlatshwayo was quoted as saying that she had been resting following a Caesarian section procedure and was heavily sedated.

She said she later saw someone she did not know leave the hospital with her newborn baby upon viewing CCTV footage.

Hlatshwayo said she was also upset by the fact that the security guard was busy on her cellphone when the alleged kidnapper walked right past with her baby.

It was reported that the family of the baby was considering taking legal action following the traumatic ordeal.

The Citizen reported on Friday that a tip-off led police to a house in Diepkloof, where the baby was found.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman. Background reporting, Makhosandile Zulu)

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