Durban — Police are investigating a case of child abandonment after a newborn baby girl was found dumped near a busy road in Gandhinagar, oThongathi, on Friday afternoon.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said that a newborn baby girl was dumped on a grass verge next to a busy road in Gandhinagar.
“Teenage boys who were playing soccer on High Crescent located the infant wrapped in a black fleece blanket,” Balram said.
He said that the boys flagged down a passing motorist who contacted Rusa for assistance.
Balram said that reaction officers and Rusa paramedics were immediately dispatched and arrived on the scene at approximately 4.08pm.
“Paramedics examined the baby and discovered that the umbilical cord was clamped with a wooden clothing peg. The infant was transported to the Tongaat Clinic for further medical intervention,” Balram said.
He added that a case of child abandonment is being investigated.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said: “A case of child abandonment was reported at Tongaat SAPS and the docket was transferred to the Phoenix Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexually Offences Unit for further investigation.”
In another child abandonment case, last month a homeowner found a newborn while walking in his yard in Sundumbili, north of KwaDukuza.
At the time, IPSS Medical Rescue managing director Dylan Meyrick said it received reports of an abandoned baby in Sundumbili.
When paramedics arrived, they were taken to the backyard of a house where the infant was found by the homeowner, he said.
“The infant, who is estimated to be under a week old, appeared to be in good health and was taken to a nearby clinic for further assessment,” Meyrick said.
KZN police spokesperson Nqobile Gwala said: “A case of child abandonment was opened at Sundumbili SAPS after a newborn baby was found.”
Gwala said the matter was still under investigation.
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