GQEBERHA – A five-month-old baby boy who was found abandoned in dense bushes in Windvogel, Gqeberha, was rescued through the swift actions of SAPS members and vigilant community members during Child Protection Week.
According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, the incident unfolded on Tuesday, 2 June, when community members alerted police to an abandoned infant and pointed out the child’s mother, a 33-year-old woman from Helenvale.
“It was alleged that the baby had been left in the bushes the previous night,” she said. “Police accompanied the mother to a bushy area between Bethelsdorp Road and 1st Street, Windvogel, where she was unable to indicate the exact location where the child had allegedly been abandoned.”
Janse van Rensburg added that members from Gelvandale SAPS immediately launched a search operation and, at approximately 13:15, successfully located the infant concealed in the bushes.
“The baby, believed to have been exposed to the elements for nearly 24 hours, was found cold and severely dehydrated,” she said.
She added that the SAPS members acted swiftly and transported the child to Dora Nginza Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed that the infant had not sustained any physical injuries but required urgent treatment for dehydration and exposure.
“The child’s mother was arrested and charged with attempted murder,” she said. “She appeared in the New Brighton Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 5 June, and the matter was remanded to Friday, 12 June, for a formal bail application.”
The NMB Acting Commissioner, Brigadier Loyiso Ngalo, commended the vigilance of the community and the decisive actions of the SAPS members involved in the rescue.
“The actions of the community members and police officials undoubtedly contributed to saving the life of this child. Child Protection Week reminds us all that safeguarding children is a shared responsibility, and we urge communities to continue reporting incidents of abuse, neglect and abandonment without delay,” said Ngalo.
Janse van Rensburg noted that Child Protection Week serves as a reminder that every child has the right to care, protection and a safe environment in which to grow and thrive.
