A 44-year-old female suspect was arrested on Thursday for alleged perjury and stealing her 20-day-old grandchild.
She is expected to appear before the Thohoyandou magistrate’s court on Monday.
The incident took place at Tshidaulu, Mbilwi village in the Vhembe District. According to a police report, the suspect on Tuesday went to sleep with her 16-year-old daughter and other children who share the same room.
“The daughter was sleeping with her 20-day-old baby on another bed whilst the suspect slept on the separate bed. On Wednesday at 5am, the teenager woke up to prepared herself to go and attend classes at a local school when she discovered that her daughter was missing.
“A search for the infant was conducted but she was not found and a missing person case was immediately reported at Thohoyandou police station by the grandmother on behalf of her minor daughter,” said police spokesperson Malesela Ledwaba.
After investigations the grandmother of the child was contacted on her cellphone and misled police by implying that she was at work in Levubu.
“Police investigations continued until it was discovered that the grandmother was not at her workplace but was seen walking with a paper bag which she concealed at an unknown house at Tshidaulu, Mbilwi village.
“Another search was conducted in the area with assistance of the Makhado K9 unit Dog and the baby was later found abandoned in the house without any injuries and taken to Trauma Centre for safekeeping.
“The grandmother was interviewed about the matter, and she cooperated with police and confirmed that she stole the baby and reported a false case of a missing person,” said Ledwaba.
She was arrested immediately, and the baby was reunited with her mother.
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