The baby was reportedly discovered in a bucket in Itsoseng on Saturday (5/6). Police said the infant was found after a six-year-old told her grandmother there was a “crying doll” in their chicken coop.

The grandmother immediately went to investigate and was shocked to discover a newborn baby abandoned in her yard. She reportedly called for assistance, and neighbours responded and helped her contact the Itsoseng police.

EMS and social workers were subsequently notified, and the baby was transported to hospital for medical treatment and assessment.

North West police spokesperson Sgt Sipho Taliwe said the circumstances surrounding the abandonment are under investigation. “The Itsoseng police are appealing to the community for assistance in locating the mother of the child or anyone who may have information that could assist the investigation.”

Anyone with information is requested to contact the investigating officer, WO Albanos Thabiso Molefe of the Lichtenburg family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit on 060 967 2276.

In a similar case in May 2025, a concerned community member discovered an abandoned baby boy behind a rock in Bloemhof. The infant, wrapped in a blanket and dressed in a red T-shirt, was found cold and fatigued.

EMS Services responded swiftly and transported the child to the Bloemhof community health centre, where healthcare professionals assessed and stabilised him.

North West social development MEC Basetsana Sussana Dantjie later visited the Lekwa-Teemane health sub-district, where the baby was receiving care, and commended the coordinated response by emergency personnel, police, local government representatives and social workers.

Experts and child welfare organisations have long warned factors such as poverty, rape, abuse, family pressures and a lack of documentation can contribute to cases of infant abandonment.

A 2019 study by the Medical Research Council estimated that approximately 3,500 children survive abandonment in South Africa every year. For every baby found alive, an estimated two infants are found dead.

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