In a case that has gripped communities across KwaZulu-Natal, a 21-year-old woman has been arrested for abducting a two-week-old baby in a desperate attempt to hide a miscarriage from her boyfriend.
The infant, Owami Lonathando Sindani, was reported missing late Sunday night by her mother, Bongiwe Sindani, who had met the suspect just days earlier at a local clinic in Nsimbini. According to police reports, the young woman gained Bongiwe’s trust during a casual conversation in a waiting line but that brief encounter would lead to a traumatic ordeal.
On Sunday, May 4, the suspect visited Bongiwe’s home under the pretense of friendship. When Bongiwe stepped outside briefly to discard a bucket of water, the suspect seized the moment—vanishing with the baby and Bongiwe’s cellphone.
Panic quickly spread through the community as Bongiwe, with little to no information about her visitor, launched a desperate search. Calls for help reached Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), who sprang into action that night, fielding dozens of leads and tip-offs from across the country.
“Within eleven hours, we received 34 tips from places as far as Limpopo, Cape Town, and Johannesburg,” RUSA revealed in a statement. “Every one of those tips helped narrow our focus.”
The breakthrough came early Monday morning, when officers zeroed in on the Chesterville area near Westville Pavilion Shopping Center. Believing the suspect intended to flee KwaZulu-Natal, officers sealed off the area while the RUSA helicopter scouted overhead.
On the ground, officers spotted a woman acting nervously with a newborn. When approached, she claimed the child as her own but a quick check confirmed that it was indeed baby Owami.
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As word of the arrest spread, a mob began forming. Fearing for her safety, officers swiftly removed the suspect from the area and placed her in custody at FCS SAPS Cato Manor. There, she reportedly confessed to the crime.
She told investigators that after suffering a miscarriage on April 24, she feared her boyfriend would leave her. So when she met Bongiwe at the clinic, she devised a plan: steal a baby and pass it off as their own.
“She admitted to feeding the baby only bottled water,” RUSA stated, noting with concern that she had not purchased infant formula or proper supplies.
Baby Owami was safely reunited with her mother, and though shaken, Bongiwe expressed gratitude for the swift response and community support.
The incident has once again stirred conversation around mental health, trauma, and the extreme pressures some women face, especially when lacking proper emotional and medical support.
As legal proceedings begin, authorities say the suspect will be charged with kidnapping and child endangerment. Meanwhile, South Africans are breathing a sigh of relief that baby Owami is safe — and that justice, however slow, is catching up.
