‘Bring back my baby’: mom pleads for newborn, missing for 22 days

The torment of losing a newborn baby when he was just four days old overwhelms 26-year-old Nomsa Khoza, who had given the child for a few minutes to a woman who disappeared with him in a crowded shopping centre in Mamelodi .

It has been three weeks since the baby, Milton Illdio Khoza, was allegedly kidnapped from his mother in Tshwane regional mall on January 17. He still has not been found.

Distraught Khoza lives in Nellmapius Ext 24 and told TimesLIVE her child was kidnapped by a woman who deceived her by saying she was in labour and needed her help.

The woman was wearing black leggings, a black T-shirt with white flowers and a black bucket hat with white flowers.

On Wednesday, Khoza recounted events leading to the kidnapping of her child as she pleads with the country to help.

“I was at the Phahameng clinic putting clothes on my child after his check-up. The woman, dark-skinned and speaking Shangaan, came to me and greeted me nicely.

“She told me she was pregnant and had been referred to Mamelodi Hospital to give birth. She asked sympathetically that I accompany her to buy baby clothes for her baby.”

Khoza said she felt sorry for the young woman (estimated to be in her 20s) and agreed to accompany her to Tshwane regional mall.

“She begged me. She said she had no-one else to help her.”

Initially the woman wanted to go to Mahube mall, but Khoza refused.

“We went to Tshwane mall, but when we got to the clothing store she told me she had no money and wanted to withdraw a CashSend voucher at Shoprite.”

When they got to Shoprite there was another hurdle.

“She said she did not have an ID to withdraw the money. She went to look for someone who has an ID to help her. She was gone for a few minutes. When she came back, she was crying that she was in pain, she said she did not get anyone to help her.”

Khoza felt sorry for the woman and told her to take a seat.

“She sat, I gave her my baby, and I went to look for someone to help her.

“Within two minutes I found a person, but when I went back she was gone, gone with my child,” Khoza said as tears streamed down her face.

For about three hours Khoza went on a frantic search for her child who was wrapped in a blue blanket.

“I went to different stores looking for the woman and even walked to Denlyn Mall, asking people if they saw her with my child. I met a security guard who said she had seen the woman. That is when it dawned on me that my child had been stolen from me by a person I thought I was helping.”

Several sources who saw CCTV footage of the alleged kidnapping told TimesLIVE it shows the suspect wearing clothing that disguised her identity.

Tshwane regional mall managers confirmed a case of child kidnapping was opened with police.

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo told TimesLIVE the hostel near Denneboom was among the places that were searched the same day of the incident.

“We have opened a case of child kidnapping, and the case has been transferred to the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit where it’s receiving priority,” Masondo said.

He said the police have mobilised various units and other stakeholders to search for the suspect and the child.

“The investigation is ongoing and all information is being followed up. Police are still appealing to members of the community who have information to please call the nearest police station or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”

Now, 22 days since her child went missing, Khoza says she has not been able to sleep. Khoza's family said her desperate search has left her in great pain.

She named her son Illdio, after her mother who passed away when she was just a child.

“I want nothing more than getting my child back. I would be very happy if she can bring back my baby, even if she leaves him at a police station or somewhere where we can find him,” she said.