Woman arrested for allegedly stealing baby

Members of Inkululeko Neighbourhood Watch assisted in the apprehension of a young woman who allegedly stole a four-month-old baby girl in Enkululekweni last week.

According to neighbourhood watch secretary Elias Magwayi, the woman known to the biological mother had asked to take the infant to town on Tuesday morning, but caused panic when she failed to return the baby that day.

We received a report and tried to trace her “whereabouts. Attempts to reach her on her cell phone were unsuccessful. The man who stays with her at a nearby shop in the area said she had asked for R500 when she left for town.”

Magwayi said the matter was reported to the police and members of the neighbourhood watch embarked on a house-to-house search in Enkululekweni, Mlungisi, to assist in finding the woman. He said after following leads, the baby was found on Thursday evening at Nkwanca informal settlement.

We found four young men in a shack where “one was holding the baby. We were told that the suspect had gone out and left the baby with one of the men, believed to be her boyfriend. We took the baby to her mother and when the suspect returned, we all went to the police station.”

Speaking to The Rep, the mother, Liyabona Siyoko, said she was happy her baby was safe and in a good state. I could not sleep. I had never “experienced anything like this. I was going through a lot of emotions. I am relieved that my baby was found.”

Siyoko said she had taken her baby to Ethembeni Crisis Centre where she was examined and found to be unharmed. She said when the suspect was asked why she had failed to return the baby, her response was that she was given permission by Siyoko.

She said she was going to town. I did not “think she would be gone for so many days with my child,” said Siyoko.

Police spokesperson captain Namhla Mdleleni said a 26-year-old suspect had been arrested.