Ramona van den Heever, the founder of the Door of Care and Safety in Randfontein, sat down with the Herald to talk about the legal procedure following child abandonment.
The Herald reported on Tuesday that a two-day-old baby was abandoned at her institution on 7 June. Captain Appel Ernst, Randfontein Police spokesperson, said a case of child abandonment has been opened and the Krugersdorp Family Violence, Child Abuse and Sexual Offences unit (FCS) have launched an investigation.
Read the initial article here: Two-day-old baby abandoned
Ramona said when a child, especially a baby, is abandoned without any information, a case has to be opened with the police. The police and the Department of Social Development or similar institution should be informed of all abandoned babies.
After abandonment, the mother has three months in which she may change her mind. If she wants to take the baby back, the authorities will refer to the open case of child abandonment, and if DNA tests can prove that she is the mother, the case will be taken further.
Ramona added that it’s basic procedure to open a criminal case when a child is abandoned, and said, “It doesn’t matter whether the baby was abandoned at a dump site or a safe place like our institution”.
She added that the case is opened for the safety of the baby as well as the mother if she should return to claim the baby.
“The chances are very slim that they will ever find the mother or that she will come back to claim the baby. The criminal case is opened to start the process of getting the baby’s official documentation.”
The aim of the investigation is thus not to find the mother who abandoned the child, but if the investigation should lead the police to her, this information will be kept private.
Once the three months waiting period has elapsed, the abandoned baby will be put up for adoption or foster care. There is always a chance that the baby will end up in an orphanage.
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