A two week-long search came to an end when security personnel managed to track a missing baby to a house in a Durban suburb last week. It is alleged that the baby was kidnapped and sold to a couple unable to have children of their own.

Information has it that the child’s grandfather became her guardian after her mother allegedly abandoned her in Isipingo, KZN, in January. Her mother is alleged to be a drug addict and her whereabouts is unknown. The identity of the baby’s father is also unknown.

The grandfather turned to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) for help claiming that his granddaughter was taken from his house in Dawncrest, Verulam. He alleged that his son was responsible for her disappearance. The baby’s birth certificate was also missing.

RUSA spokesman, Prem Balram, says reaction officers working on the matter followed leads between Verulam and the South Coast. The baby was eventually located with a couple living in Reservoir Hills on March 16.

Balram says security officers approached the home and found the baby in the upper level of the residence, in the care of an elderly woman.

“The couple are not related to the child and are unknown to the family. Reaction officers also found the car used to remove the child from her Dawncrest home,” he says.

Balram says the couple told them how they approached the baby’s uncle, requesting for her to be given to them as they could not have children of their own.

“They did not confirm how much was paid for the child,” says Balram.

He also alleges that the baby’s uncle attempted to mislead reaction officers by telling them that the child was in his care in Ramsgate, Port Shepstone.

Balram claims that the uncle promised that he would make a video call at a later stage to confirm that the baby was with him and was safe.

“He was unaware that reaction officers had already obtained information that the baby was in Reservoir Hills and were on-route to rescue her,” says Balram.