Woman arrested in ‘missing baby’ case

IN a bizarre turn of events, the woman who claimed that her threemonth-old baby had been abducted in Nelson Mandela Bay at the weekend has been arrested.

Police discovered she lied about being the baby’s mother and about the kidnapping.

The 49-year-old woman reported to police in Motherwell that her baby was abducted by three men in a black BMW in Motherwell NU7 after she had accepted a lift.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said that after three days of investigation by officers of the Motherwell Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, a breakthrough was made yesterday morning after it was discovered that the case reported was false.

“The 22-year-old biological mother of the baby was identified and questioned and we discovered there existed a foster parent arrangement between the two ladies without legal prescribed procedure being followed,” Beetge said.

“This arrangement went sour and the false case was opened by the 49-year-old woman.”

Beetge revealed the baby was with her biological mother from the time the 49-year-old woman alleged she was abducted.

The older woman told police that after she got into the BMW at about 5.30pm on Sunday, she was sprayed with a substance that burnt her eyes and she was forced to get out of the car.

The woman, who is in custody, is due to appear in the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of perjury.

Beetge said government social workers would also be tasked to intervene.

Attempts to reach the family of the baby were unsuccessful.