Kidnapped Durban toddler reunited with mother

A toddler snatched from his mother by a person known to the family has been reunited with her in Hambanathi, Tongaat, north of Durban, police said on Friday.

Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the 35-year-old mother, who lives at the Hambanathi Matsheni complex, was preparing for work “when a known suspect accosted her and threatened her with a slasher”.

“She screamed for help and members of the community came to her rescue. The suspect subsequently ran back to the woman’s home and snatched her two-year-old baby boy before fleeing the scene.”

She added: “When the mother returned to her house, she realised that her baby had been kidnapped. She contacted police at Tongaat and a case of kidnapping was opened for investigation.”

Mbele said a team of Tongaat detectives and police officers worked around the clock to locate the baby.

“The investigation yielded fruitful results yesterday [Thursday] when they located the baby at Amaoti informal settlement where he was found abandoned. The suspect managed to evade arrest and police are working tirelessly to locate his whereabouts. The baby was taken to hospital for medical examination and [was] reunited with his mother.”

Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula commended officers.

“We are delighted that the baby was safety reunited with his family and we are also appealing to the members of the public who might know of his [the assailant’s] whereabouts to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”

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