Soweto - The newborn baby girl stolen at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic was found in Diepkloof on Friday morning after police received a tip-off that she was in one of the houses in the area.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said they would be able to give more information on that at a later stage as they had just visited the crime scene.
“The baby was found in the morning and police are now going to analyse the CCTV footage to see if the suspect on the footage is the one whom they found the baby with,” Dlamini said.
A security guard at the hospital allegedly let the woman who had just stolen the baby walk past without searching her while those that came before and after her were searched.
The woman, in her 30s, is being sought by the police for stealing the baby during visiting hours, between 2 and 3pm at the hospital on Thursday afternoon.
She had a weave and was wearing blue jeans, white long sleeve top and flip-flops.
According to the Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Lesemang Matuka, the hospital CCTV cameras show the woman roaming in and around antenatal clinic. Later, the cameras show her exiting the maternity area caring a baby in a purplish blanket.
"What is suspicious is that CCTV cameras later show her walk past a security guard who just let her and the baby pass without searching her. This is despite the fact that the security guard had searched those that came before and after her."
Matuka, who conceded that the baby was stolen due to lax security, said the security woman was question by the police on Thursday night but could not confirm if she was back at work.
After successfully leaving the hospital with the stolen baby, the woman was spotted with two other accomplices moving towards the ATMs where they later changed the blanket.
The Gauteng Department of Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku said he was saddened by the incident.
“I am disappointed with what is appearing to be the lapse in physical security and we will leave no stone unturned in seeking answers to this.
"The case has already been opened with the Diepkloof police station and the CCTV footage will be handed to them”,
said Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku.
“I have also met with the mother and her family and counselling will be offered."
Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, Jack Bloom said it was not clear how the woman gained access to the ward, and ending up leaving the hospital with the baby.
Bloom added that investigations into this matter need to be initiated and hopefully would reveal if there was enough security at the maternity wards.
“This incident is hugely distressing and highlights the need to tighten up on security at all maternity wards as baby snatching has happened at the other hospitals as well,” Bloom said.