A case in New Zealand is a very disturbing one where a two-year-old girl was found concealed in a suitcase in a long-distance bus. The finding was reported on Sunday in the small town of Kaiwaka in the northern region of the country, which led to direct police response and national uproar.
A passenger had asked to enter the luggage compartment, and this alerted the authorities. The bus driver, sensing an unusual movement in one of the bags, resolved to check. The driver discovered the toddler in the suitcase when he opened it.
The driver felt alarmed after he realized that the bag was moving. New Zealand Police explained in a press release that when the driver opened the suitcase, he or she found the two-year-old girl. The child was reported as being very hot, though he seemed to have no physical harm. She was hospitalized in order to make a complete medical evaluation.
A 27-year-old woman is arrested and charged with ill-treatment or neglect of a child. Police have so far not revealed the relationship between her and the child. She is supposed to be brought to the North Shore District Court on Monday.
The authorities have commended the fast thinking of the bus driver and attributed it to having possibly saved the life of the child. The police statement added, “We would like to recognize and praise the bus driver who realized something was wrong and acted quickly, which could have led to a much more serious situation.”
The case has appalled the local residents and provoked a sense of emergency regarding child care and psychological assistance. Social services have been engaged in the case, and additional investigations are going on to know how this shocking act occurred.
With the nation awaiting the next phase of legal action, most people are struggling to come to terms with the manner in which such a scenario can occur in broad daylight on public transport. The wellbeing of the little girl is the major focus, and law enforcers strive to make her safe and secure in the future.