Thanks to alert community members, the alleged kidnapper of a ten-month-old baby boy was apprehended. The 20-year-old man subsequently was charged with kidnapping.
In a statement from Kagiso Police’s spokesperson, Captain Solomon Sibiya, he explained that the man was apprehended and arrested by residents of Leratong Village on Monday, 19 October.
“The mother of the child alleged that she was inside the garage at her residence at about 3pm while her child was playing with two other older children. She noticed an unknown man also playing with the children,” Sibiya explained.
The mother told police that she saw the man holding and playing with her baby, but never thought anything bad was going to happen. However, a few minutes later the other two children came running into the house and told her that the man had disappeared with the baby.
“She ran outside and met her friend who also confirmed to have seen the man carrying her baby. They started running in the direction of the suspect, alerting other residents.”
After realising that he was being followed the man abandoned the baby and tried to get away. However, he was cornered, eventually apprehended by the residents and later handed to the police.
According to Sibiya, a case of kidnapping has been opened and the suspect was formally charged.
“We urge mothers to be more cautious and protective of their children, especially to strangers. The child’s mother could have reacted immediately when she noticed a strange man holding her baby. Her reluctance nearly cost her dearly,” cautioned a concerned Kagiso Police station commander, Brigadier Themba Maduna.
