Joy as 8-month-old Lucus found
EIGHT-month-old Kraaifontein baby Lucus Cedras, allegedly abducted four days ago from his grandmother’s house in Scottsdene, Kraaifontein, has been found unharmed and returned to his family.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk confirmed the baby’s safe return yesterday afternoon, following the frantic four-day search for him by the police, his family, local neighbourhood watches and the community.
“Eight-month-old Lucus Cedras was found yesterday afternoon.
“He was taken to a doctor for a medical check-up. He is unharmed and reunited with his family,” said Van Wyk.
He added that the police were on the hunt for a woman, Marinda Julies, they believe was behind the baby’s abduction.
Kraaifontein police station commander Lieutenant-Colonel Desmond van den Heever also confirmed that the baby had been found before 5pm yesterday.
“The suspect has not been arrested yet, but we do have a few addresses,” he said.
Earlier yesterday, while the search was still on, the baby’s mother, Simoné Cedras, said a female acquaintance had asked her and the baby’s grandmother, Mercia Cedras, whether she could take him somewhere.
“She wanted to show Lucus to her mother,” Cedras had said, and added: “She asked me too, but I said no and I asked my nieces to make sure my mother did not give the child to her.
“She fetched the child that same day. I don’t feel well about my child, who disappeared and (my partner) Ricardo Mentoor, 29, feels the same.
He is very broken. She must return my child safely.”
Lucus is the youngest of her six children, she said.
Cedras had identified the alleged abductor as an acquaintance with whom she had often chatted and who lived in the area.
Henrolitte Levandal, a relative of the baby, also confirmed it was found, saying: “The one who stole the baby put the child next to a house (in the street where it lives) and ran away. That was about half an hour ago, and it’s in the same street (Hartebees Street, Scottsdene, Kraaifontein) where (the baby’s mother) Simoné lives.”
Levandal said the police had fetched Simoné to make a statement.
Kraaifontein SAPS station commander Brigadier Gerda van Niekerk commended all SAPS members (integrated forces), neighbourhood watches and community members who helped in the search for the child.