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By News24 Wire

Wire Service


Newborn ‘abandoned’ in empty house by distressed mother is rescued

The mother had delivered the baby in an empty house where she had gone into distress, and with no medical attention, was unable to attend to her newborn baby.


A newborn baby believed to have been abandoned in an empty house is doing well thanks to the quick response of community members in the Gamalakhe township near Margate in KwaZulu-Natal.

On Tuesday at about 5.30pm, KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service (KPAS) was called to the location to assist with an abandoned baby.

“Thankfully, when paramedics arrived, they found that the baby had not been abandoned,” KPAS spokesperson Craig Botha said.

It turns out the mother had delivered the baby in an empty house where she had gone into distress, and with no medical attention, was unable to attend to her newborn baby.

Community members found her and quickly phoned the Gamalakhe SAPS who went to the scene and called emergency medical services.

“Paramedics found the baby to be in distress from a lack of oxygen. They treated the newborn baby and managed to stabilise the baby on the scene. The baby and mother were transported to the local hospital for further treatment.

“The quick actions of the community and the Gamalake SAPS saved the life of this newborn baby,” Botha said.

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