Mom, 22, arrested and charged with child neglect after toddler son found roaming the streets

North West police have arrested a 22-year-old woman after her 18-month son who can hardly speak was found roaming the streets by himself.

North West police have arrested a 22-year-old woman after her 18-month son who can hardly speak was found roaming the streets by himself.

Published Mar 2, 2021

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Johannesburg - North West police have arrested a 22-year-old woman after her 18-month-old son who can hardly speak was found roaming the streets by himself.

The mother has been charged with child neglect and is expected to appear at the Wolmaransstad Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. The child was found around 8am on Sunday by a police officer in Thambo 1, Wolmaransstad.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Adéle Myburgh of the North West police, the child was not yet able to articulate himself due to his age and the only thing he could say was his name. He could not say where he lives.

Asked how the police officer was able to tell the child was in distress, she said: “Police officers are trained to be observant. Seeing such a young child in the street all by himself is not normal. She gave him food and clothes and drove around the area where he was found to try and find his parents/guardians. She really went the extra mile.”

As there was no information as to where the child was from and people in the area could not help, police put his picture on social media and asked anyone who may know the child help trace his family.

“A family member saw on Facebook that the police was looking for the child's mother and took her to the Wolmaransstad Police Station.”

Police are investigating circumstances that led to the child being on the streets alone and where the mother was all along.

IOL

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