A nine-month-old baby girl was found on top of the lifeless body of a woman believed to be her mother. They were found next to a gravel road in grass in Centurion on Friday night.

A Laezonia resident alerted authorities after he reported hearing what sounded like a gunshot near his home. When he went to investigate, he could hear a baby crying in the grass next to the road. He then found the crying infant on top of the body of a woman with blood on her chest.

The incident happened in Pretorius Street in Laezonia AH at around 19:00.

Spokesperson for CERT-SA, Ruan Heyns, says upon their arrival they found the lifeless body of a woman in her late 20s, with a baby girl that had blood stains on her hand lying on top of her.

“The mother was sadly declared dead on arrival with a visible gunshot wound to her chest.

“The baby was assessed for signs of injury as there were blood stains on the baby’s hand, but thankfully was not injured,” says Heyns.

He says paramedics did not find any personal belongings with the woman.

“Nothing was found in the deceased’s possession. At this stage it is difficult to say what might have unfolded at the scene.”

The Child Protection Hotline was at the scene working with the police.

According to Danie van Loggerenberg of the protection hotline, the infant was taken to a baby safe-haven.

“The haven deals and specialises in abandoned and orphaned babies. They have informed me that the little girl is healthy,” says Van Loggerenberg.

Police spokesperson Constable Tumisang Moloto says the acting Erasmia police station commander Captain Simon Maredi had assembled a team of detectives following the incident.

“A case of murder has been opened at Erasmia SAPS for further police investigation,” says Moloto.