A Mpumalanga woman who was arrested just days after a newborn baby boy was found abandoned in a pit toilet at the weekend appeared in court on Wednesday.
Police earlier this week had appealed for help tracing the mother after the newborn was found crying in a church toilet at about 10.40am on Sunday in Ronaldsey Trust near Bushbuckridge.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Col Donald Mdhluli said residents had alerted police to the incident.
“The police dug behind the pit toilet and managed to rescue the child whose umbilical cord was still attached,” he said.
A case of child neglect was opened.
A woman was arrested on Tuesday at Matikwana hospital in Mkhuhlu near Bushbuckridge in connection with the matter and she appeared in the magistrate's court on Wednesday where she was remanded.
“The matter was postponed for an application for legal aid representation and she is expected back in court on Thursday,” Mdhluli said.
The woman's relationship to the baby is yet to be confirmed but it is believed she is the mother.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.