EASTERN CAPE – The Gqeberha Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit is urgently appealing for public assistance after a newborn baby boy was abandoned in Spondo Road near a local shopping centre.
On Saturday, 22 August 2026, at approximately 06:30, a member of the community discovered the infant inside a red Shoprite carrier bag and immediately alerted the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The newborn was promptly transported to Dora Nginza Hospital for necessary medical evaluation and treatment. Authorities have confirmed that the child is currently stable and has been placed in a designated place of safety.
According to a spokesperson for the Gqeberha FCS Unit, the baby was found neatly wrapped and dressed in a white and pink fleece top featuring a cartoon figure bearing the name “Sophia.” Investigators also noted that the infant was accompanied by a cream and grey double-breasted fleece pea coat and a Big Five pillowcase.
A formal case of child abandonment has been opened at the Algoa Park SAPS station. Despite thorough investigations and enquiries conducted in the surrounding vicinity, detectives have not yet obtained information sufficient to identify the mother or any person responsible for the abandonment.
The SAPS continues to appeal to the Gqeberha community to come forward with any relevant information. Authorities emphasize that any details provided, no matter how minor they may seem, could assist detectives in reuniting the child with his family and establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Algoa Park SAPS or the local FCS Unit to assist with the ongoing investigation.
