Cape Town police arrested a 31-year-old woman after her newborn baby girl was found dead in a stormwater drain in Lotus River. The grim discovery took place on Sunday, 3 May 2026.

Grassy Park police opened a case of child abandonment on Saturday when the baby went missing. The mother remains in custody while investigators examine the full circumstances.

Baby Discovered in Stormwater Drain

Police located the body of the one-to-two-day-old baby girl around 14:00 on Sunday at the corner of 2nd Avenue and Antelope Street in Lotus River. The infant was inside the stormwater drain.

Sergeant Wesley Twigg, SAPS spokesperson, confirmed the discovery. He says authorities continue to investigate the exact circumstances of the incident.

Mother Faces Child Negligence Charges

Officers arrested the 31-year-old mother on Saturday, 2 May 2026, shortly after the baby disappeared. She had given birth at Retreat MOU hospital and was discharged with the newborn that same day.

The woman now faces charges relating to child negligence. She will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court once police formally charge her.

Police Statement

Sergeant Wesley Twigg told media:

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.”

The mother remains in custody.