In a heart-pounding incident that has left the community of Bulawayo in shock, a 38-year-old woman, Anita Khumalo, has been arrested after kidnapping a newborn baby at Mpilo Hospital on September 10, 2023.
Anita Khumalo, residing in Pumula South, perpetrated this shocking crime, spending an entire night with the innocent baby before suspicions raised by the child’s alert aunt led to a rapid rescue operation.
The ordeal began innocently enough, as the 18-year-old mother sat on a bench at Mpilo Hospital with a close friend, eagerly awaiting her discharge papers. Little did they know that they were about to fall victim to a cunning criminal’s plot.
Woman Arrested for Stealing Newborn Baby at Bulawayo Hospital[Image: Adobe Stock]
A Stranger’s Devious Offer
Khumalo, posing as a good Samaritan, approached the young mother and her friend, offering her assistance in expediting their hospital departure and arranging transportation to the Renkini Bus Terminus, where they planned to travel to the mother’s rural home in Nyamandlovu. Little did they know, this offer of help concealed ulterior motives.
According to source the complainant, and her friend left the hospital and boarded a white Honda Fit, which had been hired by the accused person. They proceeded to Renkini but they were advised to proceed to 3rd Avenue and Lobengula Street terminus,” revealed Bulawayo police spokesman Abednico Ncube.
As the group followed Khumalo’s lead, the unsuspecting mother, accompanied by her friend, arrived at Renkini, blissfully unaware of the impending disaster. It was at this point that Khumalo’s sinister plan was set in motion.
“Upon arrival at the 3rd Avenue terminus, Khumalo sent the unsuspecting mother to check for transport to Nyamandlovu inside the terminus, and she remained behind, standing under a tree shed,” Ncube continued.
In a matter of minutes, the mother returned to the spot where she had left Khumalo and her precious baby. To her horror, they had both disappeared without a trace. Panic and desperation gripped her heart as the realization of the baby’s abduction hit her like a tidal wave.
The nightmare continued into the next day when Khumalo, apparently unphased by her heinous actions, traveled to her rural home in Ntabazinduna with the stolen baby. It was here that Khumalo’s own family began to suspect something was awry.
According to source, Khumalo’s aunt, perplexed by her niece’s strange behavior, asked a seemingly innocent question about the child’s weight at birth. Khumalo’s inability to provide a convincing answer raised suspicions further.
Instead of providing a straightforward response, Khumalo handed her aunt the child’s birth card and encouraged her to verify the baby’s weight herself. It was at this moment that the truth began to unravel.
Upon careful examination, Khumalo’s aunt discovered that the name of the child’s mother on the health card did not match the accused’s name. This alarming discovery sent shockwaves through the family, prompting immediate action.
Without hesitation, Khumalo’s aunt, armed with undeniable evidence, took Khumalo and the innocent baby to a nearby clinic for verification. It was here that the shocking reality of the situation became undeniable.
“Investigations carried out by the clinic staff revealed that the newborn baby was delivered at Mpilo Hospital on September 9, 2023, and was kidnapped on September 10, 2023,” Ncube affirmed.
In a swift and commendable response, law enforcement authorities were alerted to the situation, and Khumalo was swiftly apprehended. The baby, thankfully, was reunited with its terrified but relieved mother.
Source iHarare.com
