A 27-year-old woman has handed herself over to the police after abandoning her newborn baby in Simunye on September 1 at around 09:00.

Bekkersdal police spokesperson Sergeant Linkie Lefakane said the mother handed herself in just hours later.

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“Community Development Workers known as Siriti were conducting their routine duties in Simunye when they heard what sounded like a baby crying in the veld.

They searched and were astonished to discover a tiny baby in a plastic bag. They rushed the baby to the Simunye clinic where she was attended to and later transferred to the Leratong Hospital,” said Lefakane who added that the baby was in a stable condition.

Police were called and a case of child abandonment was registered.

Just hours later, a woman handed herself in at the Bekkersdal police station and stated that she was the mother of the abandoned newborn baby.

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She will appear in the Westonaria Magistrate’s Court soon.

The case has since been handed over to the Carletonville Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit for further investigation.