A two-year-old girl was found stuffed inside a suitcase and locked in the luggage compartment of a bus in New Zealand.
The discovery was made earlier today, at about 12.50pm local time, during a routine stop in Kaiwaka, a small town 62 miles north of Auckland.
After the bus stopped, the driver became alarmed and called police as he spotted a bag moving.
When he unzipped the suitcase, he found the toddler – who was reported to be ‘very hot’ – stuck inside.
A 27-year-old woman was arrested after and has since been charged with ill-treatment and child neglect.
Detective inspector Simon Harrison said in a police statement: ‘When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl.
‘The little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed.’
The child has since been taken to hospital, where she remains, undergoing an extensive medical assessment.
Harrison stressed that the driver prevented ‘what could have been a far worse outcome’.
He said: We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn’t right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome.’
Police enquiries into this incident are ongoing and further charges cannot be ruled out so far.
The relationship between the woman and the toddler has not been shared by police.
The woman is due to appear in the North Shore District Court on Monday.
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