Kriel – Two women pretending to be caregivers on a mission to donate food parcels, left a mother in distress after they made off with her four-month-old baby girl on Thursday – now the police in Mpumalanga are looking for them.
Police on Friday said they have launched a manhunt for the two women.
Baby Lalicia Mugambu was taken by the two women under false pretenses Thursday morning from her mom’s home in Thubelihle Township, near Kriel outside Emalahleni (formerly Witbank), in Mpumalanga.
The police said the two bogus caregivers persuaded the mom that they were there to take care of the baby and would, in that regard, donate food parcels and other related items.
But before making the promised donation, the women said they needed to first take the baby to the clinic for immunisation.
Desperate for the food parcels, the poor mom surrendered her baby to the “good samaritans”.
It, however, dawned on her that something was wrong, when the women did not return with her baby.
Unable to get hold of them, the distraught mom reported the matter to the police.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala confirmed baby Lalicia Magumbu was taken away by two females impersonating caregivers.
“The women reportedly approached the little Lalicia’s mother at her residential place and promised to donate food,” Brigadier Mohlala said.
He said the child was wearing a pink baby gown when she was taken by the fake caregivers.
Brigadier Mohlala said police were appealing to community members to come forward with information about the whereabouts of the two women.
He said all information provided would be treated as confidential.
Anyone with information about the bogus caregivers should call the police in Kriel on 082 798 0723 or 08600 10111.
