Police arrested an 18-year-old on a charge of child kidnapping on 3 September.
According to Johannesburg Central Police Station’s spokesperson, Captain Xoli Mbele, the child is now safe at home with her mother.
Mbele said, “The suspect allegedly stole a baby girl from her 29-year-old mother at Park Station on 1 September while the mother was waiting to meet someone there.
“The suspect, whom she [the mother] only knew for about a month, was playing with a child and told her she was going to buy her chips but never returned. She [The mother] then alert the police who then started searching for the suspect and the child.”
The search lasted for three days until police received a tip-off from the community. “Because both the mother and the suspect are known to the community because they would sometimes pass-by around the area, the community managed to identify her whereabouts.
The community then led the police to the suspect who was found in her apartment, sleeping with the baby on a bed. The baby was taken to the nearby hospital for a medical check-up which showed that she was healthy.
Mbele added that the suspect was arrested by a Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit officer.
She is currently in police custody facing charges of kidnapping and is expected to appear in court soon.
Police have appealed to parents to always ensure the safety of their children. “Never allow even a person whom you know to take your child away from you.”
Details: Johannesburg Central Police Station 011 497 7000.
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