A baby girl, who was abducted when she was just three months old, has been reunited with her biological parents in Lesotho.
The now 10-month-old baby was abducted by a South African woman from her mother in Lesotho. The woman was eventually traced in Welkom, in the Free State and apprehended and is currently in police custody.
The child was placed in a place of safety in Welkom before being reunited with her biological parents, who are both Lesotho nationals. The Department of Social Development had been working with the Lesotho Consular to ensure this was made possible.
Acting Free State Premier, Mamiki Qabathe, handed the baby to her biological parents in Maseru on Monday.
Qabathe thanked the government of Lesotho, which worked together with the South African government, to ensure the child was safely returned to her parents.
“We end Women’s Month on a high note, with a happy ending where parents are reunited with their child. This occurs during a time when our government is working on means to deal with gender-based violence, which continues to manifest itself in our communities,” the Acting Premier said.
Lesotho Social Development Minister, Matebatso Doti, thanked Qabathe, law enforcement officials and social workers for locating the baby.
Doti said she would suggest to the Lesotho Minister of Foreign Affairs that social workers be deployed in South Africa to enable the fast tracking of similar cases, in collaboration with the South African government.
Doti said the baby’s family will, through the Lesotho Department of Social Development, receive counselling and the child will receive the necessary trauma support and care. – SAnews.gov.za
