Woman who 'kidnapped' toddler from PE beach to spend more time in jail

The woman who allegedly kidnapped a toddler from the Port Elizabeth beachfront early in January 2019 will spend more time behind bars after her bail hearing was postponed to next week.

This after the state told the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday that the 25-year-old, who allegedly lives in the bush in Walmer, did not have a fixed address and may not stand trial should she be released.

At her previous bail appearance on Wednesday, her legal representative, Mxolisi Moolman, challenged the validity of the charge of kidnapping, claiming it  should be that of child stealing. The court found it could not dictate the charge she faced as she was still applying for bail.

At her first court appearance, the woman indicated she would plead not guilty.

She allegedly struck up a conversation with the three-year-old boy’s grandmother at the Summerstrand beachfront on January 3.

The suspect and the grandmother then allegedly went to buy alcohol at a nearby liquor store. Later in the day, the suspect allegedly went to buy cigarettes at a nearby shop, with the child in tow. She said when she returned, the grandmother was nowhere to be found.

She then allegedly took the child with her and, two days later, the pair was found by police. She was arrested after she could not give a reasonable explanation as to why she did not contact authorities after she could not locate the grandmother.

A ruling by the court on her bail application is expected to be heard on January 24.