A woman arrested for allegedly stealing a newborn baby girl at a hospital in Kimberley, Northern Cape, appeared in court on Monday, facing a charge of kidnapping.
Andiswa Bayi, 21, appeared briefly in the Kimberley Magistrate’s Court.
The case against her was postponed to September 19 for formal bail application.
"The baby went missing on September 6, 2023, at about 5pm and the suspect was arrested for man stealing (kidnapping) on September 8, 2023, in Greenpoint in Kimberley," said Northern Cape police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sergio Kock.
The baby girl was stolen from the maternity ward of the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in Kimberley.
The Kimberley Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit, with the assistance of the Kimberley Crime Intelligence Unit, arrested the woman when they followed up on information.
She was found with the newborn baby and her clothes.
The baby was unharmed and underwent medical observation before being reunited with her parents.
According to a report by news outlet, the Diamond Fields Advertiser, Natasha Japhta, 26, was airlifted from De Aar to Kimberley after her baby, who was born on September 2, experienced lung problems.
Japhta told the online publication that she went to fill out discharge forms, and when she returned, she found only the baby's pink blanket in the incubator.
"The provincial commissioner for the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, reiterated that crimes against women and children remain one of the priorities of the SA Police Service (SAPS) and also commended the community for their continued assistance and being the eyes and ears of the SAPS," Kock said.
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