The scene where the body of a two-day-old baby was found inside a stormwater drain in Cape Town.
- A Cape Town mother has been arrested after pointing out to the police where she dumped her baby girl.
- The mom gave birth on Friday and was discharged with the baby the next day.
- Police said the baby was found inside a stormwater drain.
Police were led to a grim discovery in Lotus River, Cape Town, on Sunday afternoon after a 31-year-old mother allegedly broke down in custody and told a detective where she had dumped her newborn baby.
Officers descended on 2nd Avenue shortly after 14:00, cordoning off a section of a stormwater drain as stunned residents gathered nearby.
Moments later, a police officer retrieved the tiny body of a two-day-old baby girl, covering it with a white sheet, and bringing a heartbreaking end to a frantic community search that had gripped the area since the weekend.
At the scene, News24 observed at least six police officers on duty, with at least two female officers visibly emotional at the discovery.
READ | Cape Town woman finds newborn baby girl dumped in her backyard
The child’s mother had been arrested a day earlier, after initially claiming she could not remember what had happened to her baby. She was initially arrested for child abandonment, police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said.
According to information from the scene, the woman had given birth at Retreat MOU on Friday and was discharged on Saturday.
It is believed she boarded a minibus taxi outside the facility to return home, asking the driver to stop at 5th Avenue in Lotus River.
Founder of Faith and Hope Missing Persons, Veronique Benjamin, who assisted police during the search, said the organisation was contacted by the investigating officer while the baby was still missing.
The organisation has, for years, been assisting the police in locating missing persons and babies.
“At the time, all we knew was that the mother had given birth on Friday and was discharged the next day. The detective said she got out of the taxi with the baby in Lotus River,” Benjamin explained.
Grassy Park police station, where the mother was detained.
Lisalee Solomons / News24
The mother allegedly told authorities she walked in search of a nearby toilet. When she returned, she claimed she had left the child somewhere between 2nd and 4th Avenue, but could not say exactly where or with whom.
Her version of events raised alarm bells.
When she arrived home without the infant, family members demanded answers. Unable to explain the baby’s whereabouts, they reportedly took her to Grassy Park police station, where a case of child abandonment was initially opened, and she was arrested.
As the hours passed, concern turned into dread. Community members joined volunteers and police in combing the area, desperately hoping to find the newborn alive.
But on Sunday, the search took a devastating turn.
Sources close to the investigation say the woman later confessed in custody, directing police to the stormwater drain where the baby had been dumped.
Twigg confirmed the discovery.
“The baby girl was found deceased in a stormwater drain. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. The mother of the child remains in custody,” he said.
The woman is expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court once formally charged.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, you can contact:
- The South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s (Sadag) 24-hour mental health helpline: 0800 456 789
- Sadag has a WhatsApp counselling line that operates from 09:00 to 16:00: 076 882 2775
- SA Federation for Mental Health: 011 781 1852
- LifeLine South Africa: 0861 322 322
