By Emily Setona
ZASTRON — A four-day old baby boy was found alive and unharmed on the doorstep of a home in Zastron, triggering a call from the Free State Department of Health for parents in crisis to use safe, legal child-protection services.
The department confirmed the incident on Thursday, 25 September. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded to the household and rushed the newborn to Embekweni District Hospital.
A handwritten note, believed to be from the mother, stated she was unaware of the pregnancy and felt unable to care for the child.
Doctors at Embekweni examined the infant and found him healthy and stable. He has since been placed in the care of social workers pending legal and child-protection processes.
Free State Health MEC Monyatso Mahlatsi said the case appeared to be that of an overwhelmed mother in crisis.
“This appears to be a case of an overwhelmed, unsuspecting mother in crisis. We must meet such situations with compassion rather than judgment. No parent should feel so alone that they resort to unsafe choices,” Mahlatsi said.
He said confidential help is available at all clinics and hospitals, through social workers, temporary safe care, and formal adoption processes.
Mahlatsi also called for intensified public education on sexual and reproductive health to prevent unplanned pregnancies and ensure early access to antenatal and psychosocial support.
The department stressed that leaving a child unattended is dangerous and illegal, and urged anyone unable to care for a newborn to seek immediate help at a clinic, hospital, SAPS station, or child-protection organisation.
It further appealed to the public and media to protect the privacy and dignity of both the baby and the mother and to refrain from sharing identifying information or photographs.
Spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said the department is working with the Department of Social Development and other authorities to ensure the baby’s safety and well-being.
