Toddler found stuffed in suitcase on New Zealand bus – Woman, 27, arrested for child neglect
A 27-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with ill-treatment and neglect of a child after a two-year-old girl was found inside a suitcase in the luggage compartment of a long-distance bus in Kaiwaka, New Zealand.
The disturbing discovery was made shortly before 1 pm when a passenger requested access to their bags during a scheduled stop.
The alert bus driver noticed movement in a suitcase and immediately opened it, finding the toddler inside, visibly overheated.
Detective Inspector Simon Harrison confirmed in a statement that the child was “very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed.” The toddler was rushed to the hospital, where she remained until Sunday.
“This is an incredibly disturbing incident. We are thankful the child was found when she was; had this gone unnoticed for much longer, the outcome could have been tragic,” Harrison said.
The woman, whose identity is yet to be released, is set to appear in North Shore District Court on August 4. Police have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges.
“We are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the full circumstances around this event. Our enquiries are ongoing, and we are working closely with Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children), who have been notified.”
Authorities have praised the vigilance of the driver, saying his quick action may have saved the child’s life.
“We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action. He prevented what could have been a far worse outcome,” added Harrison.
IOL News