The Ivory Park SAPS is becoming increasingly concerned about a growing number of abandoned children being brought to the police station by members of the community.
Parents are being urged to take responsibility for the safety of their children.
The Ivory Park SAPS warns those parents who neglect their babies that they will face the full might of the law, as the station will not take this lying down.
The Ivory Park SAPS communications officer, Captain Bernard Matimulane, said in the past few weeks the station has had as many as six children, whose ages range from several months to about six years old, neglected. They have arrested three women for neglecting their babies.
“The latest parent to be arrested was a woman from Extension 14, who last year left her infant with another woman under the pretext of looking for a job, only to come back 18 months later.
“The 29-year-old woman was arrested this week and has appeared in the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court to answer a charge of child neglect. The child, who was eventually taken in by a member of the community who attended to his needs, is only six years old,” said Capt Matimulane.
Capt Matimulane said all parents neglecting their children are being warned that these cases will receive all the attention they deserve and that the local unit of the of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit of the SAPS will work hard to ensure that justice is served for these vulnerable members of the society.
