Durban - Verulam police have opened an inquest docket after a nine-month-old baby was found dead on Tuesday at a creche in the Zwelisha area of Hlongwa near Verulam.
The Mercury reported on Tuesday that the baby boy died on the day that he was enrolled at the crèche. Paramedics found the child naked and wrapped in a blanket. They examined the minor and discovered that he showed no signs of life.
“It is alleged that the baby was put to sleep by the caregiver, thereafter when she tried to wake the baby he was not responding or breathing. Circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated,” said KwaZulu-Natal provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
In a statement on Wednesday, KZN Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza sent her heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased baby.
She said the community is in shock and in mourning.
The MEC said it was important for law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death while in the care of the crèche.
“We are extremely shocked by the incident, but we pin our trust on the police to get to the bottom of this. The family and the wider public deserve to know what happened and whether any negligence or malpractice played a role.
“This incident underscores the need for stringent regulations and standards in childcare centres to ensure the safety and well-being of children,” she said.
Khoza urged the community to rally in support of the grieving family.
The MEC has also dispatched a team of social workers to provide psycho-social support to the family.