A tragic discovery was made on Hammonds Farm on the KZN North Coast when the body of a newborn baby girl was found abandoned.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, with Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) quickly responding to the scene.
Prem Balram, head of RUSA, said their operations center received a distress call for assistance. Upon arrival, officers were led to the scene by a scrap collector who had found the baby.
The newborn, still with her umbilical cord and placenta attached, was found unresponsive inside a plastic bag.
The scrap collector explained that he was searching for items of value when he discovered a black refuse bag.
“He opened the bag and found a white packet covered in blood. He assumed it was meat and was about to leave with it when he decided to open the bag,” Balram said.
Upon realizing what he had found, the collector fled to a nearby residence and requested the homeowner to contact RUSA.
Along with the baby, officers found blood-stained diapers, toilet paper, and a t-shirt in the black refuse bag.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) have been approached for comment, and updates will follow once received.
In a similar incident on the KZN North Coast, another newborn was found abandoned. This time, the discovery was made on a dirt road in Tea Estate by three men sifting through bin bags. The baby, found unresponsive, was declared deceased.