An off-duty police officer went beyond the call of duty to clothe and feed a newborn baby from a disadvantaged family.
North West, South Africa – Constable Mohase Mahapela was working the night shift on the 25 April 2019 when a mother walked into the precinct looking for help for her 17-year-old daughter.
The mother had approached the police station as she was concerned that her daughter was neglecting a 1-month-old baby and asked the police officer if he would assist.
Constable Mahapela went to look for the new mother, found her and told her what he had heard. The little baby was with her but was only wearing a refuse bag as both clothing and a nappy. He was also now concerned that the newborn was being neglected.
The mother explained that she did not have any money and was trying her best to support the little one but was just not getting it right. The officer’s heart broke when he saw the love the mother had for her baby; she was not neglecting the 1-month-old; she just didn’t have the resources or help.
The Constable went home with a heavy heart but the next morning attended a church service where he retold the story of the young mother and the baby who was wearing a plastic bag as clothing. The church group all agreed that this community member needed their help, so they put together their money and offered it to the policeman. Constable Mahapela immediately went and bought milk, food, toiletries, and clothes for the baby.
He also engaged a Social Worker who accompanied the mother to the local clinic for a medical check-up. The baby was not born in a hospital and had never seen a doctor before. Upon arrival at the clinic, it was further established that the little one was extremely dehydrated and was referred to Tshepong hospital where she was admitted and is being looked after.
The little one may have had a really tough start to life, and if it wasn’t for Constable Mahapela this story might have ended very differently, but the Policeman and the Social Worker have vowed to help the young mother (even when off-duty) to give that little baby the best possible life.
by 