A Tafelsig mother and daughter were taken aback when they saw a baby abandoned outside their home.
Avril Davids, 53, of Tafelsig West Neighbourhood Watch, said Tracey-Lee Adams, 33, called her after finding the little boy of about five months old in a neighbour’s driveway on Sunday afternoon.
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Avril said that a young woman holding the baby had asked Tracey-Lee for water moments before the child was abandoned.
“My daughter Tracey-Lee was visiting a neighbour in Ararat Street when she noticed two young women walking up and down with a baby in the park,” she explained.
“The two then approached my daughter and asked for water, they threw the water into the baby bottle and when my daughter asked them if they rather wanted lukewarm water, they said they were waiting for their lift.
“Tracy-Lee went back inside to fetch the water and when she came out the ladies were gone. She walked back and heard crying from the corner in the driveway, she then came to call me,” Avril added.
She accompanied her daughter and discovered the infant hidden beneath a red baby bag wrapped in newspaper and a plastic bag.
“She picked the baby up and I contacted the neighbourhood watch and SAPS, Avril said.
“The police came and said they couldn’t do anything because they needed to contact social services.
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“The community immediately started to come together, one bought a dummy, my mother gave the baby butternut and potato, got clean clothes and Infacare from a neighbour and I sat with ‘Sipho’ feeding him after he was cleaned,” Tracey-Lee said.
She went on to say that they searched the bag and found a birth certificate for someone who was 19 years old. “We assume it’s the mother, but we leave that in SAPS’ hands.”
“At the moment we’re just thankful we managed to get the baby because at the time he was abandoned, it was raining and ice-cold outside,” Avril added.
Her heart shattered realizing that someone had abandoned their child. “I don’t know why people do this, she could’ve asked for help instead of leaving the child there, there are a lot of messed up people in the world, what if one of them found him?”
The baby is currently being cared for in a safe home.
Reagen Allen, MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, thanked Davids for her assistance.
“I am delighted to learn that a young child is safe and out of harm because of our neighbourhood watch,” Allen said.
“Again this shows that our members play a vital role not only where safety is concerned but even when a child is in need.”
