Abandoned newborn found near a hiking Spot in FS

-Staff Reporter / Sat, 13 Dec 2025

The Free State Police have launched an investigation into a case of child abandonment after a newborn baby boy was found abandoned near a hiking spot along the R30 outside Theunissen.

The Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said the infant was discovered on Friday afternoon, 12 December 2025, at about 15:00.

“The baby, believed to be only a few days old, was found underneath a tree near the hiking area after members of the public were alerted to his presence,” Kareli said.

According to police, a man and his cousin were walking in the area when they were approached by an unknown man who informed them about a baby lying under a tree nearby. The two immediately went to investigate and found the infant.

The baby boy was wearing a beige babygrow and a grey baby hat and was wrapped in a grey fleece blanket with white dots. With rain threatening and concerned for the child’s safety, the good Samaritans took the infant to their home and promptly contacted Theunissen police and Emergency Medical Services.

EMS personnel later transported the baby to a local hospital, where he was admitted for medical observation and care.

A case of child abandonment has been opened, and police are appealing to the public for information that could assist in tracing the mother or any relatives of the child.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Captain Jerry Motaung of the Brandfort Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit on 071 682 5093, call Crime Line on 08600 10111, or submit an anonymous tip via the MySAPS App.

Police have commended the travellers and the unknown informant for their swift and compassionate actions, which ensured the baby’s safety and survival.

News Junction (Gold Standard)