Abandoned baby ‘an hour away from death’
The baby was abandoned in a field in Roosevelt Park and is doing well in a place of safety.
A day-old baby girl came within an hour of dying of dehydration after being abandoned in a field off Preller Drive in Roosevelt Prak on October 8.
The tiny baby was discovered after a resident alerted SCP Security of a suspicious black bag on the grass.
SCP Security’s, Clive Maher said, “We dispatched a senior member to the scene where it was newly born infant was discovered,wrapped in a black bag. We immediately called Netcare 911 emergency services who treated the baby for dehydration. We were told on the scene that if the baby had been left for one more hour, she would have died.”
The ambulance took the infant to the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital in Coronationville where she was stabilised.
The baby girl is reportedly doing well after emergency care.
Sophiatown spokesperson, Captain TJ de Bruyn said, “As soon as we were alerted, our social crime prevention member, Sergeant Masana Rikhotso, went to the hospital. When it was safe to do so, the baby was moved to a place of safety and a case of child abandonment was opened.”
The infant will be placed in foster care, and hopefully eventually adopted into a loving home.
De Bruyn said the most heart-warming moment came when the baby needed to be named. Sergeant Rikhotso had the privilege to do that and called her Masana, which is her first name. It means, ‘the warmth of the sun on a winter’s morning’. “The baby’s temperament was calm and happy, despite her rough start and her name reflects that perfectly.”
A community member said, “To Clive and SCP and SAPS members who all went over and above the call of duty to make sure that this girl is treated with the respect she deserves, thank you.”
According to a Facebook post, TAU and Delta security companies assisted with some emergency supplies for the baby which shows how a community came together to assist a tiny baby abandoned in a field.
