To be attributed to Detective Inspector Simon Harrison, Acting Field Crime Manager Waitematā:
A woman has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child, after a toddler was located in a suitcase in a bus luggage compartment this afternoon.
Police were called at 12.50pm, after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment during a planned stop in Kaiwaka.
The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving. When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.
The little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed. She was transported to hospital, where she remains, undergoing an extensive medical assessment.
A 27-year-old woman was arrested and has been charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child. She is scheduled to appear in North Shore District Court on 4 August.
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 enquiries into this incident are ongoing and further charges cannot be ruled out. Oranga Tamariki has also been notified.
