Newborn baby found abandoned in Pietermaritzburg field
The baby, whose umbilical cord was cut and tied with a shoelace, had been wrapped in a jersey and left in the bush near the mosque entrance.
Residents in Pietermaritzburg sprang into action on Tuesday after discovering an abandoned newborn baby lying in a bush near the Quwwatul Islam Mosque on Bombay Road.
Within minutes, community members alerted emergency responders through local WhatsApp groups, while others rushed to bring clothes, formula and blankets to comfort the infant before paramedics arrived.
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The baby, whose umbilical cord was cut and tied with a shoelace, had been wrapped in a jersey and left in the bush near the mosque entrance.
The co-ordinated response brought together residents, security companies and emergency medical services, with Mi7, KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service and RZS Protection all responding to the scene alongside local authorities.
Mi7 Advanced Life Support paramedic Andrew Brown said emergency teams were alerted shortly after midday through messages shared on community WhatsApp groups.
“The community members found the baby in the bushy area not far from the entrance of the mosque. Community members found the baby wrapped in a jersey and then other community members brought clothes, some formula and a blanket,” said Brown.
One of the reaction officers helped change the baby out of the soiled jersey. When paramedics arrived, they warmed the baby and checked all the vital signs and found that the baby was doing well. The baby was then transported to hospital for further care.
KwaZulu Private Ambulance Service spokesperson Craig Botha said the baby’s survival was due to the quick thinking of residents.
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“The swift action of the local residents was critical. Their immediate call to emergency lines prevented the newborn from enduring prolonged exposure to the elements. Local authorities were present on the scene, and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abandonment is underway,” said Botha.
The baby was transported to hospital, where he is receiving further medical care, while police investigate who abandoned the child.
