A 27-year-old woman has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child, after a toddler was found alive in a suitcase in a bus luggage compartment yesterday afternoon.
Waitematā Acting Field Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said police were called after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment during a planned stop in Kaiwaka shortly before 1pm.
The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving.
When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.
Harrison said the little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed.
“She was transported to hospital, where she remains, undergoing an extensive medical assessment.
A 27-year-old woman was arrested and has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child.
She was scheduled to appear in North Shore District Court today.
“We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome,” Harrison said.
Police said inquiries into this incident were ongoing and further charges had not been ruled out.
Oranga Tamariki has also been notified.
