Kidnapped baby returned, domestic worker among arrested suspects

13-month-old Baby Eden has been found and the domestic worker who disappeared with him in Brackendowns in Alberton arrested.

The child was last seen at 8.45am on his family’s domestic worker’s back when she went for a walk on Wednesday.

The kidnappers had demanded a R6-million ransom. On Thursday‚ the family paid a substantial amount but the baby was not returned.

Three policemen were involved in a sting operation on Friday‚ when more money was paid over. Two suspects were arrested at the money drop-off point after the baby was returned.

These suspects led the police to three more suspects including the domestic worker.

Police spokesman Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said a "substantial amount of money" was paid in the first ransom and some of it later recovered by police.

According to founder of NGO Pink Ladies Dessie Rechner a lot of the money from the first payment was found with the domestic worker.

The baby had been taken to a hospital‚ she said‚ and was apparently fine‚ according to a Pink Ladies post on Facebook.

Pink Ladies‚ an NGO to help find missing people‚ had been telling people about the missing child and on Saturday told followers on Facebook about the successful sting operation.