The community of Louis Trichardt was shocked during the past week, when an innocent baby boy was found crawling in a busy street, after being abandoned by his mother.

The little boy, who is approximately six months old, was found last Thursday morning at about 05:15, by members of the community who were on their way to work, along Industria Street next to FireFly café. Members of the Makhado SAPS, who were patrolling the area, were then alerted by members of the community after they realised that the baby was alone. The baby was taken to the police station and later taken to the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

The Makhado SAPS´ Child Protection, Sexual and Family Violence´s Specialized Unit has subsequently opened a case of child abandonment. "The investigations are still continuing," said Detective Const Jeaneth Mamukhwana. She also appealed to members of the community to assist the police in tracing the mother of the abandoned child.

Doctors at the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital confirmed that the baby is healthy and being taken good care of at the hospital. When Mirror visited the hospital on Tuesday, the baby was well fed and looked healthy. He was playing on the hospital bed like nothing really happened.

"How can a mother who carried the baby for nine months leave him helplessly and unattended on the street? This is very cruel and barbaric. The woman who did this must never be forgiven. She deserves to rot in jail for what she has done," said one of the mothers who felt pity for the abandoned boy.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the mother can contact Mamukhwana at 073 888 5505. According to news reports, the phenomenon of abandonment of babies is increasing in the whole of South Africa.