A woman has been arrested following the discovery and rescue of a newborn baby boy inside a pit toilet at a church in Ximhungwe near Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga on Sunday morning.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli says Noise Mhaule (40) was arrested at Matikwana Hospital in Mkhuhlu near Bushbuckridge by police from the Acornhoek Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

She appeared in the Mkhuhlu Magistrate’s Court yesterday, as a suspect in a case of child neglect.

The matter was postponed for application of legal aid representation, and she was remanded in custody. She is expected back in court today.

Baby rescued

According to the police, members of the public heard the baby cry. They alerted authorities and proceeded to dig behind the toilet to rescue the child.

The baby’s umbilical cord was still attached.

The child was taken to hospital for treatment, and police opened a case of child neglect.