Police in the Free State have arrested two women after a four-year-old girl went missing after being abandoned by the pair on Monday.
The child was abandoned by her own cousins, aged 19 and 20.
Provincial police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said the women left their home in Kanana with four-year-old Reitumetse Madibeng.
The trio were headed for the farms along the R702 Road area.
“It is alleged the two cousins left the four-year-old girl lying under the tree by the roadside towards Daspoort after the child got tired from walking and laid down under the tree,” Covane said.
The women left the child where she was resting and they continued to walk to the farming area.
Covane said they eventually arrived at their destination and informed the mother of the child they had left her daughter behind. The mother immediately contacted the police.
“A search team was assembled but could not find the child. A case of child neglect was also opened and the two women were arrested,” Covane said.
Police have no available photo of the missing child at this stage.
Any member of the public who might have information about the missing child is requested to contact the nearest police station or the MySAPS App or by calling the Crime Stop number 086-001-0111.
In a separate incident, a 33-year-old woman is expected to appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court soon on a charge of murder.
On December 6, Navalsig police arrested the woman after she allegedly stabbed her 36-year-old boyfriend to death.
“The police received a complaint from Roodewal at about 9.40pm. The patrol vehicle was dispatched to attend and on arrival, the police found a man lying motionless on his back in the veld. The victim had a stab wound on the left side of his chest,” Covane said.
The woman still had the bloodied knife in her possession when she was arrested. It is alleged the couple were drinking alcohol together before an argument broke out.