Baby found in River Park, mother arrested

Yet another baby has been found abandoned, this time in the River Park, opposite the municipal swimming pool.

A municipal worker discovered the three-day-old boy wrapped in a black plastic bag, surrounded by beer bottles and rubbish.

According to Lt Fanie Nhlabathi, spokesman of the Standerton Police, the mother gave birth to the baby at the Standerton Hospital on 1 December.

“She apparently told the nursing staff that she did not want the baby, but was discharged with her newborn on 3 December,” Lt Nhlabathi said.

The police found the baby in good health, but a little dehydrated.

The mother of the baby was arrested the same day and a case of neglect was opened at the Standerton Police Station.

The baby was taken to the Trauma Care Centre and later handed over to a police social worker.

The baby is currently at a place of safety.

According to Ms Hanlie Brits, a social worker at the Crisis Centre of the South African Women’s Federation, there is no excuse for abandoning your baby.

“All you have to do, if you can not fend for your child, is bring the baby to the centre and put it up for adoption,” Ms Brits said.

“There is a waiting list for parents wanting to adopt, but there are not enough children to be adopted.

“You can take the child to the hospital and they will bring the baby to us.”

Ms Brits added that you can even take the child to your church and they will bring the baby to them.

According to her many pregnant school girls hide it from there parents and get rid of the baby without anyone knowing about it.

The problem could be that they hide the pregnancy until the last moment and when the baby arrives, it is too late to do anything about it and that is when the baby is abandoned.

Ms Brits urged pregnant mothers to get involved in a family planning programme that are given free of charge at hospitals and clinics.