Mother arrested for dumping her newborn baby in drain

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - A 32-year-old foreign national has been tracked down and arrested by Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) 17 hours after she dumped her newborn baby near the manhole of a stormwater drain. 

A Reaction Officer on Bike Patrol on Wick Street in the Verulam - CBD found the girl hanging on the edge of a manhole leading to a two meter drop into a storm water drain. The child was rescued and expedited to a government hospital.

On Sunday night, February 9, the RUSA Operations Center received an anonymous tip-off from a medical facility reporting that the picture of the child that was circulated was similar to a baby that was delivered via caesarean section.

Following up on this information and other several leads Reaction Officers began tracking the mother

On Monday morning, Reaction Officers established the identity of the woman. It was reported that she is a foreign national who moved to South Africa from the Capital City of Maseru in Lesotho two (2) years ago. 

Further information was received that the woman intended on fleeing the country.

Reaction Officers canvassed an area in Hazelmere - KZN & located the woman with the assistance of an informer. She was found in possession of a passport (pictured) belonging to her friend. A plastic hospital tag (picture 6) in the name of the child was found in her room.

When interviewed by a female Reaction Officer, the woman explained that she had entered the country illegally in 2022. 

She left an 11 year old and 5 year old child back in Maseru to seek employment in South Africa. 

She was employed as a machinist at a textile business and became pregnant with her third child. 

During her pregnancy her boyfriend disputed the paternity of the child, believing that she had sexual relationships with other partners. 

According to the woman, when the child was delivered the man refused to communicate with her. 

She added that she placed the baby in a black bin bag and intended on pushing the baby into the storm water drain. 

While approaching the drain she threw the baby in the direction of a manhole when a vehicle approached. She then fled the area.

The woman is currently detained on Verulam Cas 183/02/2025 - Child Abandonment.