Auckland, New Zealand – A woman has been arrested and charged with ill treatment of a child after a toddler was found trapped in a suitcase on an InterCity bus traveling from Whangārei to Auckland.
The two-year-old girl was discovered alive, wearing only a diaper, after a bus driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving during a planned stop in Kaiwaka, Northland, on Sunday afternoon.
Authorities said the child had been in the suitcase for nearly an hour and was reported to be “very hot” but otherwise unharmed.
She was taken to hospital for an extensive medical assessment and was later released in a “minor” condition.
Detective Inspector Simon Harrison commended the bus driver, saying, “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.”
Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing, and further charges cannot be ruled out.
Oranga Tamariki has also been notified.
Locals in Kaiwaka expressed shock and sadness upon hearing about the incident, with one resident saying, “I was deeply saddened to hear such a thing.
I mean who does that, puts their child in a suitcase, and the suitcase is locked away with the other luggage?”
The 27-year-old woman is due to appear in the North Shore District Court on Monday to face charges related to the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the authorities at `105610080` or visit their local police station.