A KwaZulu-Natal resident was shocked this morning when he found a dead baby outside his gate in Mountain Rise, Pietermaritzburg.

The resident, who asked not to be named, says he did not know how long it had been there as he had not been home for the past few days.

“I have been busy for the past few days with my brother’s funeral, so I have not been home. I saw the blanket at the gate this morning, so I went to see, and that’s when I found the baby and reported it,” says the visibly shaken man.

The man contacted a security guard who patrols the area during the day. The security guard, who asked not to be named, reported it to his superiors.

“I saw the blanket outside the home three days ago, but I thought it was for the resident. Only today, when I [was called] to investigate, did I see it was a baby.

“I did not see anyone drop it off because I am here during the day only. Someone could have come at night,” he says.

Police were seen at the scene.