A 27-year-old woman in New Zealand (NZ) has been arrested after a two-year-old child was found hidden inside her suitcase in a bus’s luggage compartment.
The incident occurred on Saturday (3 Aug) in Kaiwaka, a town in Northland. At about 12.50pm, police were alerted after the bus driver noticed suspicious movement coming from a piece of luggage during a scheduled stop.
When he opened the suitcase, he found the young girl curled up inside.
Source: Localmatters.co.nz
According to NZ police, the child appeared physically unharmed, but was reported to be extremely warm to the touch, possibly due to being trapped in the confined space.
She was promptly brought to a hospital for an extensive medical assessment.
Authorities have not disclosed how long she had been inside the suitcase or where the bus journey began or was headed.
According to NBC News, the bus involved belongs to Entrada Travel Group, which confirmed the incident occurred on one of their InterCity buses.
The company has since stated that the matter is being taken “very seriously”.
Source: InterCity NZ on Facebook
According to InterCity’s travel policy, children aged two and below may ride for free if seated on a guardian’s lap, while discounted fares apply for children aged three to twelve.
Why the child was placed in a suitcase instead remains a mystery.
The woman allegedly responsible has not entered a plea and is expected to appear in court on Sunday (4 Aug). Her name has not been released.
New Zealand’s Ministry for Children, Oranga Tamariki, has been notified, and investigations are ongoing.
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