A 27-year-old mother in New Zealand has been charged with ill-treatment and neglect after allegedly hiding her two-year-old daughter in a suitcase in a bus’s luggage compartment. The child, found wearing only a nappy, was discovered on Sunday at 12:50 pm (2:50 pm AEST) at a bus depot in Kaiwaka, about 100 km north of Auckland.
Detective Inspector Simon Harrison said the woman is believed to have recently returned from Australia. Police were alerted when the bus driver noticed a bag moving during a rest stop. The bag was stored in a separate luggage compartment beneath the bus seats, which the driver had been repacking.
‘When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl,’ Harrison said.
The little girl was reported to be very hot but otherwise appeared physically unharmed. It is believed she had been inside the suitcase for about an hour. Detective Harrison confirmed that the child is currently in hospital undergoing a thorough medical assessment.
The 27-year-old woman remains in police custody and was scheduled to appear in court on Monday. Detective Harrison praised the bus driver, saying they had thankfully prevented “what could have been a far worse outcome.”
