Woman arrested for kidnapping newborn baby girl
A woman was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a newborn baby girl at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital on Thursday.
Police arrested the suspect in Diepkloof on Friday following a tip-off.
The baby has since been reunited with her mother.
Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku says the suspect was identified with the help of CCTV footage.
"We can announce now that the baby is healthy. We have done DNA tests to make sure that we are reconnecting the correct baby with the mother.
He blames the incident on a “security lapse” at the hospital, saying it is something the department needs to take a closer look at across the province.
The CCTV cameras in the hospital showed a female suspect roaming around antenatal clinic without a baby and was later spotted exiting the maternity area caring a baby in a blanket.
The suspect was subsequently spotted with two other accomplices moving towards an ATM where they changed the blanket the baby was wrapped in.
The incident is alleged to have happened during visiting hours at the hospital.